Ecology Final Review Maloney/Zaratin

Name ______Date ______

Origin of Living Environment

Living organisms depend on the lithosphere (rock and soil), the hydrosphere (water) and the atmosphere (air) of Earth.

Ecosystems

Ecology is the study of the interactions between organisms and the environment. An ecosystem consists of two parts: the living (biotic) factors and the non-living (abiotic) factors. A population consists of the individuals of one species living in a location. All the different populations in one location define a community.

Directions: Use the diagram below to answer the following questions.

1. The main source of energy for this ecosystem is ______.

2. All of the frogs in this ecosystem make up a ______.

3. All of the bears, lizards, frogs, insects and plants in this ecosystem make up a ______.

4. An abiotic factor in this diagram is ______.

Relationships Among Organisms

Directions: Complete the chart below. Types of interactions include beneficial, harmful and competitive.

Type of Interaction / Description / Example
Organisms that compete for the same resources such as living space and food
One organism is harmed while the other benefits
One or both organisms benefit while neither is harmed

Feeding Relationships

Directions: Use the word bank below to answer the following questions. Be sure to provide an example for each organism.

Word Bank

1. Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on plants are ______. An example would be a(n) ______.

2. Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on plants and other animals are ______. An example would be a(n)______.

3. Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other animals are ______. An example would be a(n)______.

4. Organisms that make their own food are ______. An example would be a(n)______.

5. ______obtain energy by consuming wastes and dead organisms. An example would be a(n)______.

Directions: Use the food web to answer the following questions.

1. Name one producer ______

2. Name one carnivore ______

3. Name one herbivore ______

4. Identify one food chain found in this web

______à ______à ______

5. What would happen to the snake population if the mice population decreased? ______

Changes in Ecosystems

Ecosystems change over time. The environment may be altered through the activities of organisms or by forces of nature (volcanoes, floods, forest fires). Over time a pond of fish and snails can become a swamp of frogs and large plants.

Review Questions:

_____ 1. An earthworm burrows into the soil. The earthworm is directly interacting with the

(1) atmosphere (2) hydrosphere (3) lithosphere (4) stratosphere

_____ 2. The oceans, lakes and streams are part of the

(1) atmosphere (2) hydrosphere (3) lithosphere (4) stratosphere

_____ 3. The group of different organisms that live together in an area is the

(1) community (2) niche (3) population (4) species

_____ 4. Pigeons of the same species living in a city park represent a(n)

(1) population (2) biome (3) food chain (4) ecosystem

_____ 5. The study of interactions between organisms and their environment is

(1) ecology (2) zoology (3) physiology (4) biology

_____ 6. A non-living (abiotic) factor that might affect other types of organisms in a pond is

(1) production of food by green algae (2) addition of goldfish to the pond

(3) number of offspring produced by the fish (4) amount of oxygen in the pond

_____ 7. A relationship between fleas and dogs is most similar to the relationship between

(1) bees and flowers (2) fish and algae

(3) foot fungus and humans (4) hawk and mice

_____ 8. In a natural community in New York State, the producer organisms may include

(1) bacteria & fungi (2) fish & algae (3) deer & rabbits (4) grass & trees

Directions: Use the food web to answer questions 9-11.

_____ 9. What is the primary source of energy in this

food web?

(1) sun (2) grass

(3) snake (4) wind

_____ 10. The snake is classified as a

(1) herbivore (2) carnivore

(2) decomposer (4) omnivore

_____ 11. If a pesticide was sprayed that killed all the crickets, how would the food web be affected?

(1) the grass would die (2) the frog population would decrease

(3) the mountain lion would migrate (4) the deer population would increase