Relationships and Cycles of Matter and Energy in Ecosystems
Chapter Problems
Introduction to Biomes and Ecosystems
Class Work
* For this section, there is an accompanying worksheet. (Biome Research WS)
1. What is the biosphere?
2. Define population.
3. What are communities?
Homework
4. Define biome.
5. Define ecosystem.
6. Define habitat.
7. What do you consider to be your habitat?
8. Describe your ecosystem.
9. Which biome do you live in?
Ecosystems
Class Work
10. Define an ecosystem
11. What are biotic factors? List the 5 main biotic factors.
12. What are abiotic factors? Give 5 examples of abiotic factors.
13. What is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs? Explain.
Homework
14. What are the 6 processes all living things perform?
15. Give two examples of biotic factors in your ecosystem.
16. Give two examples of abiotic factors in your ecosystem.
17. What are the three types of heterotrophs?
Competition of Resources
Class Work
18. What are the basic needs of an animal?
19. What are the basic needs of plant?
20. Define “predator” and “prey” and give an example of each.
21. What might happen if a predator is removed from an ecosystem?
22. What are invasive species? How do they impact the local ecosystems?
23. How do adaptations help species? Give two examples.
Homework
24. How are the needs of plants different than those of animals?
25. Describe the competition of resources within a food web.
26. What can happen to an ecosystem when a new predator is introduced?
27. Give an example of an anatomical adaptation.
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6th Grade PSI
Ecosystems
28. Give an example a behavioral adaptation.
Balance Within an Ecosystem
Class Work
29. Define symbiotic relationship. Give an example of one.
30. Define symbiosis.
31. What is mutualism? Give an example.
Homework
32. How do plants and animals both rely on each other?
33. Describe how organisms within an ecosystem are connected.
34. Define parasitism
Energy in Food Webs
Class Work
35. Explain the transfer of energy and nutrients in a food chain.
36. Define atoms.
37. What role does photosynthesis play in food webs?
38. Define a decomposer. Explain its role in food webs.
Homework
39. Name the three categories of organisms that make up a food chain.
40. Describe the difference between a food chain and a food web.
41. Explain the flow of energy within a food web.
42. List two reasons why decomposition is necessary in an ecosystem.
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6th Grade PSI
Ecosystems
Answer Key
Introduction to Biomes and Ecosystems
Class Work
1. Biosphere refers to the entire living world.
2. Population is group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the
same area
3. Communities are populations of organisms that interact with each other within an
ecosystem.
Homework
4. Biome is a geographic area of the planet that can be classified according to the
plants and animals that live in it
5. Ecosystem is a community of living and nonliving things that interact in the same
area.
6. Habitat is the specific place or environment within an ecosystem where animals and
plants live or grow.
7. Answers will vary; should provide a reasonable answer of their habitat
8. Answers will vary; should provide a reasonable answer of their ecosystem (forest,
plains, mountains, etc)
9. Answers will vary; should identify the correct biome.
Ecosystems
Class Work
10. Ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical
environment.
11. Biotic factors are living things; plants, animals, bacteria, fungus and protists.
12. Abiotic factors are nonliving things; water, soil, air, minerals, rocks, etc.
13. Autotrophs are able to produce their own energy through photosynthesis and
heterotrophs rely on consuming other organisms to acquire their energy.
Homework
14. All living things get energy/nutrients, use energy, grow, reproduce, get rid of waste
and respond to the environment.
15. Answers will vary; should include two relevant living organisms.
16. Answers will vary; should include two relevant nonliving things.
17. Herbivores, carnivores, omnivores
Competition of Resources
Class Work
18. The basic needs of an animal are habitat, air, water and energy
19. The basic needs of plant are water, access to light, minerals and attraction of
animals/pollinators.
20. Answers will vary, should include a specific example of one animal hunting another.
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6th Grade PSI
Ecosystems
21. Removal of a predator from an area can lead to a change in the balance of the
ecosystem. Other species will often fill the niche or void left.
22. Invasive species are non-native species that are introduced into a new ecosystem.
This can disrupt the ecosystem by dominating the native species' habitat and/or
causing competition for food sources.
23. Adaptations help species live in a particular place or environment.
Homework
24. Plants need light and to attract other animals to pollinate or spread their seeds.
Animals are not dependent on another organism to reproduce.
25. Organisms within a food web compete for resources to increase their change of
survival and ability to reproduce.
26. Introduction of a new predator can negatively impact existing organisms and alter
the ecosystem.
27. Anatomical adaptations are changes in physical structure such as fur, large beaks,
webbed feed or claws.
28. Behavioral adaptation are things organisms do to survive such as migration,
hibernation or camouflage.
Balance Within an Ecosystem
Class Work
29. Symbiotic relationship is an interaction between two different species within the
same ecosystem. Examples will vary.
30. Symbiosis is a relationship where two or more organisms depend upon each other
for resources.
31. Mutualism is the way two different species exist in a relationship where they both
benefit.
Homework
32. Plants rely on the CO2 released by animals while the animals need the oxygen given
off from plants to survive.
33. Organisms within an ecosystem rely on each other to either produce or obtain
energy.
34. Parasitism is a relationship between two different species in which one organism,
the parasite, benefits and the other, the host, is harmed in some way.
Energy in Food Webs
Class Work
35. Energy and matter are transferred from the producers (solar energy into plants) to
consumers (organism eating plants) to decomposers (returning nutrients to the soil
that are absorbed by plants).
36. Atoms are the smallest particle of an element.
37. Photosynthesis is the conversion of energy into stores energy for later use. Through
this process energy is introduced to the food web. Organisms are dependent upon
plants as a source of energy.
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6th Grade PSI
Ecosystems
38. Decomposers, like fungi and bacteria, break down animal waste as well as dead
plants and animals into atoms that recombine into different molecules and
nutrients. This both enriches the soil for new plants (producers) to grow, and keeps
waste from piling up within an ecosystem.
Homework
39. Producers, consumers and decomposers
40. A food chain shows the transfer of energy/nutrients from one organisms to another
in a linear fashion. Food webs display the series of interactions among organisms
within the same ecosystem.
41. Energy in food webs flows from the bottom up from the producers to the
consumers. It is then recycled through the decomposers. Consumers are often also
producers for other organisms.
42. Decomposition is important because it enriches the soil for new plants (producers)
to grow, and keeps waste from piling up within an ecosystem.
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6th Grade PSI
Ecosystems