Ecosystem Connections and Survival Quiz

What is a producer in a food web?

• An animal that eats other animals

• A plant that makes its own food using sunlight

• An animal that eats plants

• An organism that breaks down dead material

Answer explanation

A producer in a food web is a plant that makes its own food using sunlight through photosynthesis. This process allows them to convert solar energy into chemical energy, forming the base of the food web.

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Which of the following is an example of a decomposer?

• Grass

• Mushroom

• Rabbit

• Hawk

Answer explanation

A decomposer breaks down dead organic matter. Mushrooms are fungi that decompose material, returning nutrients to the soil. Grass is a producer, while rabbits and hawks are consumers, not decomposers.

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What do consumers in a food chain do?

• Make their own food

• Break down dead organisms

• Eat other organisms for energy

• Absorb nutrients from the soil

Answer explanation

Consumers in a food chain are organisms that eat other organisms for energy. They cannot make their own food, break down dead organisms, or absorb nutrients from the soil like producers and decomposers do.

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Which of the following is a basic need for all animals in an ecosystem?

• Sunlight

• Soil

• Water

• Chlorophyll

Answer explanation

Water is essential for all animals as it is crucial for hydration, metabolic processes, and overall survival. While sunlight and soil are important for plants, and chlorophyll is specific to them, all animals require water.

What is the main source of energy for most food webs?

• The Moon

• The Sun

• Soil

• Water

Answer explanation

The main source of energy for most food webs is the Sun. It provides the light energy that plants use to photosynthesize, forming the base of the food chain and supporting all other organisms.

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Which of these is a primary consumer?

• Grasshopper

• Oak tree

• Hawk

• Mushroom

Answer explanation

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers. The grasshopper feeds on plants, making it a primary consumer. The oak tree is a producer, the hawk is a predator, and the mushroom is a decomposer.

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What do plants need from the soil to grow?

• Oxygen

• Nutrients

• Carbon dioxide

• Sugar

Answer explanation

Plants need nutrients from the soil to grow, as these provide essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that support their development. Oxygen is also important, but it is primarily obtained from the air.

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Which of the following best describes a food chain?

• A group of animals living together

• A sequence showing who eats whom in an ecosystem

• A list of all plants in an area

• A type of soil

Answer explanation

A food chain illustrates the flow of energy in an ecosystem by showing the sequence of who eats whom. This makes the correct choice "A sequence showing who eats whom in an ecosystem." The other options do not accurately describe a food chain.

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Which group helps recycle nutrients back into the soil?

• Producers

• Decomposers

• Primary consumers

• Secondary consumers

Answer explanation

Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil, which is essential for plant growth. Producers create energy, while consumers eat plants or other animals.

What is the role of a hawk in a food web?

• Producer

• Decomposer

• Consumer

• Nutrient

Answer explanation

A hawk is a consumer in a food web, as it preys on other animals for food. It does not produce energy like a producer or break down organic material like a decomposer.

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