Content Benchmark L.8.C.1
Student know how matter and energy are transferred through food webs in an ecosystem E/S
Sample Test Questions
1 st Item Specification: Diagram and label a food web.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
1. Organisms that are responsible for returning matter back into the environment are the
A.
herbivores.
B.
carnivores.
C.
omnivores.
D.
decomposers.
2. Organisms that only eat plants are called
A.
herbivores.
B.
omnivores.
C.
scavengers.
D.
carnivores.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
3. Use the food web below to answer the next question.
Hawk
Snake
Frog
Fox
Mouse
Fungus
Grasshopper
Grass
Beetle
In the food web above which organism would be called an omnivore?
A.
Grasshopper
B.
Frog
C.
Mouse
D.
Fungus

4. Use the food web below to answer the next question.
Eagle
Snake
Frog
Mouse
Bug
Grasshopper
Grass
In the food web above which organism would have the largest population?
A.
Eagle
B.
Mouse
C.
Frog
D.
Grasshopper
2 nd Item Specification: Given a scenario, identify the pathways of energy flow in the system.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
5. Read the following passage to answer the question that follows.
In an aquatic environment, river turtles eat duck weed, tape grass and sometimes snails.
Leeches are found on these turtles but do not kill them. Alligators have been known to eat river turtles.
The best description of the river turtle would be a(n)
A.
decomposer.
B.
herbivore.
C.
carnivore.
D.
omnivore.
6.
Read the following passage to answer the question that follows.

In an aquatic environment, river turtles eat duck weed, tape grass and sometimes snails.
Leeches are found on these turtles but do not kill them. Alligators have been known to eat river turtles.
Which type of organism is not present in the passage above?
A. Parasite
B. Decomposer
C. Carnivore
D. Producer
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
7. Read the following passage to answer the question that follows.
Ducks and snails often eat grass and algae in freshwater ponds. The snails are eaten by mice and ducks. Foxes prefer to eat mice, but will eat a duck if the opportunity arises.
Which food chain below is illustrated in the passage?
A. snails → algae → mice → fox
B. fox → ducks → mice → algae
C. algae → snails → mice → fox
D. ducks → mice → snails → grass
8. Read the following passage to answer the question that follows.
Ducks and snails often eat grass and algae in freshwater ponds. The snails are eaten by mice and ducks. Foxes prefer to eat mice, but will eat a duck if the opportunity arises.
What organisms below would be considered secondary consumers?
A. Algae and snails
B. Ducks and mice
C. Snails and ducks
D. Fox and ducks
3 rd Item Specification: Know the Sun is the primary source of energy for most living organisms on Earth
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
9. The primary source for all energy used by animals on our planet is
A. the animals they eat.
B. the plants they eat.
C. sunlight absorbed by animals.
D. sunlight absorbed by plants.

10. While most organisms in nature obtain energy directly or indirectly from the sun, some organisms get energy without directly or indirectly using the sun. An example would be
A.
acting as decomposers.
B.
acting as scavengers.
C.
breaking down chemicals.
D.
using fossil fuels.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
11. Which sequence of terms below best illustrates how energy flows from the sun to an animal cell where it is used for cellular work?
A. Sun → Plants → Sugars → Animal cell → ATP
B. Sun → Plants → Food → Animal cell → Sugar
C. Sun → ATP → Plants → Animal cell → Sugar
D. Sun → Sugars → Plants → Animal cell → ATP
12. Organisms that do NOT ultimately use the sun as an energy source are
A. aquatic animals.
B. deep sea bacteria.
C. freshwater algae.
D. earthworms.
4 th Item Specification: Explain that matter and energy are transferred, transformed, and conserved within an ecosystem.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
13. Plants transform energy from the sun into
A. nuclear energy.
B. solar energy.
C. chemical energy.
D. mechanical energy.
14. In an environment, elements such as carbon are usually
A. converted into nuclear energy.
B. synthesized and remains as fossil fuels.
C. converted into nonrenewable resources.
D. recycled and reused by other organisms.
Depth of Knowledge Level 2
15. Use the diagram below to answer the next question.

Diagram from Examgen Biology Testbank
Which of the following statements is NOT true about the above diagram?
A.
Carbon dioxide and oxygen are used by producers in the ecosystem.
B.
Living organisms remove and replace oxygen back into the atmosphere.
C.
Consumers generate oxygen and consume carbon dioxide.
D.
Living organisms generate carbon dioxide which is used by other organisms.
16. Which of the following statements about the flow of energy in nature is NOT true?
A. A major portion of the energy from food is used to keep our bodies warm.
B. A large amount of energy in food is needed for bodily functions.
C. Some energy from the food we eat is lost as wastes which are passed from the body.
D. Most of the food energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next trophic level.
5 th Item Specification: Know that in a food web, the amount of energy available decreases from producer to primary consumer to secondary consumer due to energy used for cellular/life functions that is lost as heat.
Depth of Knowledge Level 1
17. Which of the following is NOT one of the ways energy is lost to other organisms as it passes through a food web?
A.
Cellular respiration
B.
Growth and repair
C.
As heat
D.
As waste material
18. What is the average amount of energy that passes from one feeding level to the next in a food chain?
A.
10%
B.
25%
C.
50%
D.
100%

Depth of Knowledge Level 2
19. If the decomposers were removed from an ecosystem, what would most likely occur?
A. Energy from the sun would not be absorbed by plants.
B. Carnivores would have no source of energy.
C. Essential elements would not be available to plants.
D. Herbivores would lose their source of energy and nutrients.
20. Use the food chain below to answer the next question.
Grass → Prairie dog → Rattlesnake → Hawk
What sequence below best represents how much energy is passed from one organism to the next in the food chain above?
A. 100% → 10% → 1% → 0.1%
B. 100% → 50% → 25% → 12.5%
C. 100% → 75% → 50% → 25%
D. 100% → 90% → 80% → 70%

Constructed Response L.8.C.1
Use the passage below to help answer the three questions which follow.
In a grassland habitat, the rabbits, herbivorous insects and field mice eat the grasses. The herbivorous insects are eaten by predaceous insects. The mice eat both types of insects. Both the rabbits and field mice are eaten by snakes in this habitat. Hawks flying in the area eat the rabbits, field mice and the snakes.
A.
Draw a food web showing all of the organisms in this grassland habitat.
B.
Which organism is the primary producer? How does it obtain its energy?
C.
Identify which organism would be the least common and explain why.

Content Benchmark L.8.C.1
Student know how matter and energy are transferred through food webs in an ecosystem E/S
Answers to Sample Test Questions
1.
D, DOK Level 1
2.
A, DOK Level 1
3.
C, DOK Level 2
4.
D, DOK Level 2
5.
D, DOK Level 1
6.
D, DOK Level 1
7.
C, DOK Level 2
8.
B, DOK Level 2
9.
D, DOK Level 1
10.
C, DOK Level 1
11.
A, DOK Level 2
12.
B, DOK Level 2
13.
C, DOK Level 1
14.
D, DOK Level 1
15.
A, DOK Level 2
16.
D, DOK Level 2
17.
B, DOK Level 1
18.
A, DOK Level 1
19.
C, DOK Level 2
20.
A, DOK Level 2
Constructed Response L.8.C.1 Score Rubric:
Hawks
Snakes
Rabbits
Field Mice
Predaceous
Insects
Herbivorous
Insects
Grasses

3 points
2 points
1 points
0 points
Response addresses all parts of the question clearly and correctly.
The student can draw a food web (see sample above) using all organisms and include at least 8 arrows correctly showing the direction of the energy flow. The grasses are identified as the primary producer which obtain energy from the sun and make food by photosynthesis.
The hawks are the least common. Being at the top of the food chain, less energy is available as energy is lost from one trophic level to the next on the food web. Energy is lost as waste or used for respiration and maintenance.
Response addresses all parts of the question and includes only minor errors.
Response does not address all parts of the question.
Response is totally incorrect or no response provided.