Science Unit 1: Ecology 2

Question 1

Food Chain

Answer 1

A representation of one potential feeding relationship in an ecosystem

Question 2

Food Chain Trophic Level

Answer 2

Sun - Grass - Grasshopper - Mouse - Owl - Fungus

Question 3

Herbivore, Omnivore, Carnivore

Answer 3

Herbivore - Eats plant material; incisors & molars; eyes on the side
Carnivore - meat eater; canines; eyes on the front
Omnivore - eat both plant material and meat; all types of teeth

Question 4

Primary Consumer

Answer 4

An organism that eats producers, herbivores. Gets energy from the producer and is the third link in a food chain

Question 5

Secondary Consumer

Answer 5

An organism that eats primary consumers. Can be an insectivore, omnivore or carnivore. Gets energy from the primary consumer and is the fourth link in a food chain

Question 6

Tertiary Consumer

Answer 6

An organism that eats secondary consumers. Can be an insectivore, omnivore or carnivore. Gets energy from the secondary consumer and is the fifth link in a food chain

Question 7

Trophic Level

Answer 7

Each biotic part of a food chain

Question 8

Food Web

Answer 8

A representation of one potential feeding relationship(s) in an ecosystem

Question 9

Energy Pyramid

Answer 9

A diagram that shows the transfer of energy form one trophic level to the next

Question 10

What parts of a food chain are NOT represented in an energy pyramid?

Answer 10

The energy source and the decomposer

Question 11

Law of Ten

Answer 11

A law that states only 10 percent of the energy at one level of a food chain is transferred to the next higher level

Question 12

Energy Transfer

Answer 12

Energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, sequential trophic level. Only about 10% of the energy is passed from one trophic level to the next. About 90% of the energy is lost as heat

Question 13

Biomagnification

Answer 13

Toxins build up as they move from one trophic level to the next. As a result of biomagnification, organisms at the top of the food chain generally suffer greater harm from a persistent toxin or pollutant than those at lower levels. This lowers biodiversity

Question 14

Biodiversity

Answer 14

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem

Question 15

Tragedy of the Commons

Answer 15

The depletion of a shared resource by a person for their own, selfish benefit even though they understand that depleting the common resource is not in humanity’s best interest

Question 16

Renewable Resource

Answer 16

A natural resource which will replenish itself

Examples: Solar energy, wind energy, and hydroelectric energy

Question 17

Non-renewable Resource

Answer 17

Resources that cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a quick enough pace to keep up with consumption

Examples: Fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy