Ecosystem Quiz

All the living and nonliving things that interact in an area make up a(n) ______.

• ecosystem

• organism

• nutrient

• environment

What is the order of the four layers in a tropical rainforest, from bottom to top?

• 1. canopy, forest floor, understory, emergent layer

• 1. forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent layer

• 1. forest floor, emergent layer, understory, canopy

  
  

• 1. understory, forest floor, emergent layer, canopy

Tiny plantlike organisms called ______ are food for many pond animals.

• Seeds

• Lillies

• Algae

• Soil

All animals that live in a pond ecosystem need ______.

Scientists that study ecosystems and teach other people about them are called ______.

• Scientist

• Hydrologist

• Botonist

• Ecologist

The picture below is a type of model. A model can be used to show the different parts of a system. Scientists use models of nature to study how animals interact with each other and their environment in an ecosystem. How could you BEST improve the model to show how the different parts of this ecosystem interact?

• change the colors of the model

• label the living and nonliving things

• show how deep the water is

• add people to the model

The photo below shows a coral reef ecosystem. Which components of this ecosystem interact?

• The two big yellow fish because only living organisms can interact in ecosystems.

• The coral growing on the reef and the water around them because water is the most important part of all ecosystems.

• The organisms and the sunlight that shines through the water because all ecosystems need sunlight in order to survive.

• All the organisms, coral, sand, and water because ecosystems are made up of all living and nonliving things inside them.

You have learned that algae are tiny plant-like organisms that are food for many pond animals. This scientist and his students are exploring the relationship between fish and algae in this pond ecosystem near their school. Which of the following is an example of a scientific question that the students might answer?

• Are the fish happy to live in this pond?

• Do the fish use algae as a food source in this pond?

• Can algae grow at the north or south ends of this pond?

• How do the fish feel about algae in this pond compared to other ponds?

The photo below shows the plants in a tropical rainforest ecosystem. Notice that the plants in the understory have especially large leaves. What is the cause of this physical trait?

• The leaves grow large to shade the animals on the forest floor.

• Understory plants get lots of water and so their leaves grow big.

• The understory is the sunniest layer of the rainforest, so the leaves have to be big there.

• The understory does not get much sunlight, so plant leaves are big to capture more of it.

Compare the ecosystems shown in the two photos. Notice that one has many more plants than the other. What is the most likely cause of this difference?

• differences in the water quality

• differences in the organisms present

• differences in temperature, sunlight, and soil

• differences in how plants carry out photosynthesis