Physical & Life Science Test – Classification & Ecosystems -
Answer Key
Section A – MCQ
1.
Which of the following is NOT a Taxonomic rank?
(a) Phylum
Consumer = is a name usually given to a trophic level. E.g.
(b) Order
Primary Consumer or Secondary consumer. The Taxonomic
(c) Consumer
Ranks include: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family,
(d) Kingdom
Genus, Species. Try remembering with this mnemonic device:
(e) Genus
(King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti)
Answer = C
2.
In a community of organisms living on a plains ecosystem (large grassland area). The population
with the greatest biomass would be:
Answer: Grasses. – Grasses would be the Producer in
(a) Hawks
this ecosystem. Typically in a balanced successful
(b) Foxes
ecosystem the Biomass of the producer will be greater
(c) Prairie dogs
than the other trophic levels. (In order to support the
(d) Grasses
flow of energy through trophic levels).
(e) Beetles
Answer = D
3.
Fig1: Grassland Pyramid of Biomass example
The flow of energy within an ecosystem always begins with:
(a) Producer
(b) Primary Consumer
Producer: “produces” the energy in the ecosystem –
(c) Indicator species
typically captures the Suns energy. Primary
(d) Secondary consumer
Consumer then typically feeds on producer.
(e) Parasites
Parasites may be found feeding off any trophic
level. (Usually does harm to its host”)
Answer = A
4.
Which of the following is NOT a reason for causing a species’ status to change from “vulnerable”
to “endangered”
All of the options may cause the decrease in a
(a) Disease
species numbers due to: overkilling, competition
(b) Poaching
for resources, environment becoming inhabitable
(c) Conservation
(cannot live there anymore). A Conservation
(d) Natural disasters
program aims to protect species.
(e) Competition with species
Answer = C
5.
Data that shows the direction of energy flow through an ecosystem is called:
(a) Biodiversity Survey
A Food Chain shows (using arrows) the flow of energy from
(b) Food Chain
producers to consumers or higher order trophic levels,
(c) Pyramid of Biomass
Biodiversity survey is essentially a count of the amount of
(d) Trophic levels
organisms in an ecosystem. Pyramid of numbers and
(e) Pyramid of numbers
Biomass represent the total number / total Biomass of
particular species in an ecosystem.
Answer = B
Fig 2: Energy Flow in Food Chain example (Note a lot of energy is lost as it moves through trophic
levels)
6.
An organism that has cold blood and dry scaly skin is most likely to belong to the class:
(a) Bird
(b) Fish
(c) Amphibian
(d) Mammal
(e) Reptile
Answer = E
(From Arkive.org) : Reptiles are cold
blooded, scaly-skinned vertebrates of
which which most lay leathery cased
eggs.
Examples
include:
Crocodiles, and Turtles
Lizards,
7.
Each species’ scientific name is given in two parts. This two part name is given by:\
(a) Species Genus
Answer = Genus Species: examples
(b) Genus Species
include:
(c) Kingdom Class
Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Panda).
(d) Class Species
Remember to type scientific names
(e) Class Genus
using italics.
Homo
Sapians
(Human),
Answer = B
8.
Taxonomy splits all living things into how many different kingdoms?
(a) 4
I accepted both answers 5 or 6 to this question. The amount of kingdoms of life
(b) 3
is often debated about by scientists. The most common answer given is 5:
(c) 7
Animals, Plants, Protists, Fungi and Monera (Bacteria). There is evidence to
(d) 5
argue that the Kingdom Monera can be divided into Eubacteria and
(e) 6
Arcahebacteria making 6 kingdoms. Interestingly there are also those who
believe we should have 8 Kingdoms. This is a great example of how science is
Answer = D or E
9.
constantly changing. Its important for us to keep reading as much as we can 
Organisms in the Kingdom Animalia who possess a backbone would be placed in the phylum:
(a) Arthropoda
Chordata is the only Phylum mentioned here that has a backbone.
(b) Mollusca
(think spine, then spinal Chord – Chordata). Artropoda is the phylum
(c) Cnidaria
containing insects (Invertebrates), Mollusca contains the octopuses and
(d) Chordata
snails (invertebrates) Cnidaria contains the Jellyfish (invertebrate), and
(e) Annelida
Annelida contains the worms (invertebrates). These are all soft bodied
with no backbone.
Answer = D
10. Two organisms in the same class must also be in the same
(A) order.
(B) species.
(C) genus.
Because of the taxonomy ranking system: (Kingdom, Phylum,
(D) family.
Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species) - Organisms in the same
(E) phylum.
class can ONLY be guaranteed to be in the same PHYUMUM or
KINGDOM. (e.g. Panthera tigris & Balenoptera musculus are in
the same class & Phylum but are in different Orders, Families and
Answer = E
Geneses.
Section B – Data Analysis
Pyramid of Numbers: total 5 points.
Points awarded for: (3 points) For accurate representation of the ecosystem. E.g. 1 square = 1 organism.
The scale used must be consistent for each different species. E.g. if: 12 pieces of grass = 12 boxes then
6 insects = 6 boxes, 3 frogs = 3 boxes & 1 fox = 1 square, if 12 grass = 24 boxes then 6 insects = 12
boxes etc.
(2 points) awarded for correct labeling of each section on the pyramid. Also there must be clear
differentiation between the levels (using different colors or shading is a good idea).
Example:
Fox
(Key or labels = 2 points)
Frog
Insect
Grass
Use the information below to make your own pyramid of biomass. (Total = 10 points)
Organism
Desiccated weight per organism
Number of
organisms/100m2
Tomato Plant
10 g
100
Aphid
0.1 g
1000
Ladybird
1g
50
Thrush (small bird)
9g
5
Pyramid of Biomass: Representation of the total mass (in kg or g) of the TOTAL number of a
particular species in an ecosystem.
2 Points awarded for correct calculation of the Total Biomass of each species. E.g. Tomato Plant:
100 organisms each with mass = 10g. Total Biomass = 10g x 100 = 1000g (1 kg).
Aphid: 1000 each 0.1 g. Total Biomass = 0.1g x 1000 = 100g. Ladybird – (1g x 50) = 50g & Thrush =
(9g x 5) = 45g
(3 points) for correct representation of Biomass. E.g. each species must be represented by a
proportionate section of the chart. (Tomato plant has largest Biomass – largest section of the chart).
Each block must be conatant for the whole chart. (1 point) for clearly stating the scale you used. E.g. if
1 block = 100g the Tomato plant biomass has 10 blocks, aphid biomass is 1 block, ladybird biomass is
0.5 of a block and Thrush biomass = 0.45 of a block. (1 point for clearly stating the scale you used.
(3 points) for correct labeling of the Biomass pyramid (including te Biomass of each section). + (1
point) for having clear differentiation between levels.
Thrush (45g)
Example:
Ladybird (50g)
Aphid (100g)
T. Plant (1 kg)
Scale: 100g
=
In the space provided draw a cladogram for the following organisms in the kingdom Animalia. FOR
FULL MARKS YOU MUST USE THE SCIENTIFIC NAME OF EACH ORGANISM. (Total = 5 points)
Organism 1
(species- tigris)
Organism 2
(Species - musculus)
Organism 3
Organism 4
(Species – Lupus)
(Species – arachnoides)
(3 points) awarded for correct representation of evolutionary relationship between the organisms using
a cladogram.
(2 points) awarded for using the scientific name of each organism. (Genus Species).
Panthera tigris
Example:
Canis Lupus
Balaenoptera musculus
Pyxis arachnoides