Biology TEKS Correlations
(9) Science concepts. The student knows metabolic processes and energy
transfers that occur in living organisms. The student is expected to:
(D)analyze the flow of matter and energy through different trophic levels and between organisms and the physical environment.
40.
Human pollution of oceans threatens the growth of algae and other protists that live there. The loss of
these microscopic organisms most likely affects the ability of the environment to support life because these
organisms 
A.
B.
C.
D.
are the beginning of all food chains
produce most of the oxygen on earth
are necessary for the recycling of water
provide nitrogen for most land plants
Owl
Mouse
Insect
Pine Tree
41.
If 10,000 calories are available at the insect trophic level, approximately how many calories of usable energy
will be available to the owl?
A.
B.
C.
D.
50
100
1000
5000
Charles A. Dana Center
Science TEKS Toolkit
www.sciencetekstoolkit.org
Ozone O3
CO2
Metal Oxides
O2
42.
Which statement is best supported by the information in the diagram above?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Through photosynthesis the plant creates food, which is essential to the fox.
CO2 released by the plant and O2 released by the fox are waste products.
Gases produced by the plant and fox form the ozone layer.
The fox uses the O2 from the plant, and the plant uses the CO2 from the fox.
Diagram A
Diagram B
2nd level
consumer
Zooplankton and bottom organisms
1st level consumer
algae
Producers
43.
Many biomass pyramids resemble Diagram A. Diagram B represents the first two trophic levels in an ocean
biomass pyramid. Which of the following statements is the most likely explanation for the ocean biomass
pyramid’s shape?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The first-level consumers eat small amounts of algae.
Algae reproduce at a faster rate than land plants.
The temperature and salinity of ocean water keep algae small.
There is a greater variety of land plants than there is algae.
Items 40-43 are designed to illustrate that the Biology TEKS (9)(D) is multifaceted. This is
the big idea in environmental studies. These items looked at the cycling of materials, what
happens when the cycle is disrupted, and the different types of pyramids students can
study. There are differences between an energy pyramid, a numbers pyramid, and a biomass
pyramid. Students need to see these different types of diagrams and be asked to analyze them.
Charles A. Dana Center
Science TEKS Toolkit
www.sciencetekstoolkit.org