1.4.2 - 1.4.6 Ecology FMQuiz Homework Solution Q. What is an ecosystem? A. A community of living organisms interacting with one another and their environment Q. What is a food web? A. Interconnected food chains or more than one species at each trophic level Q. Explain the term biosphere. A. The part of the planet where life occurs Q. True or False. Herbivores normally live long lives. A. False Q. What is a habitat? A. The place where an organism lives Q. Organisms capable of making their own food are known as … A. Producers Q. In ecological studies what are abiotic factors. A. Non-living features that influence the distribution of organisms Q. Where in a food chain are primary producers found? A. First (level) Q. Explain the term edaphic. A. Relating to the soil Q. Why are most food chains short i.e. only consist of a few trophic levels? A. Large energy loss from one level to next or small energy transfer Q. True or False. The term abiotic refers to the living factors in an ecosystem. A. FALSE Q. Give an example of an abiotic factor that influences the distribution of a named plant in an ecosystem. A. e.g. Climatic, edaphic, etc. Q. What term is used to describe organisms that feed on primary producers? A. Primary consumer(s) or herbivore(s) Q. Give an example of an edaphic factor. A. Particle size or Soil type or pH or Air content or Water content or Mineral content or Humus content Q. What deduction may be made if the organisms at the start of the chain are less numerous than those that feed upon them? A. Producers are large or primary consumers are parasites Q. In ecological studies what are biotic factors. A. Living features that influence the distribution of organisms Q. Can a parasite be the first member of a food chain? A. No. They are not producers Q. What is meant by a pyramid of numbers? A. The numbers of organisms at each trophic level Q. Energy enters food chains in the form of light. In which form do you think most energy is lost from food chains? A. Heat Q. Give an example of a biotic factor that influences the distribution of a named animal. A. Predator (fox) influences distribution of rabbits Q. What term is used by ecologists to describe the organisms that form the base of a pyramid of numbers? A. Producers or autotrophs Q. In ecology what is meant by a trophic level? A. The position of an organism in a food chain Q. Name the process that takes place in plants in which the sun’s energy is converted to a usable form. A. Photosynthesis Q. What is the source of energy for the earth’s ecosystems? A. The sun Page 1 of 1