Name ______________________________________ Date _______________ Period _________
ScienceSaurus Reading Questions – p. 129 – 137
Define the words in questions 1-5
1. Ecosystem _____________________________________________________________
2. Ecology: ____________________________________________________________________
3. Species: _____________________________________________________________________
List 3 examples of species: ________________________________________________________
4. Population: ___________________________________________________________________
5. Community: __________________________________________________________________
6. List 4 living factors (biotic) in the pine forest ecosystem picture on p. 130
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. List 3 non-living factors (abiotic) in the pine forest ecosystem picture on p. 130
_______________________________________________________________________________
8. Define limiting factors: _________________________________________________________
9. List 4 limiting factors: __________________________________________________________
10. Define niche: ________________________________________________________________
11. What is the difference between niche and habitat? ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
12. How can deer, rabbits and squirrels share the same habitat but not compete for food?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
13. What the three main relationships between populations?
_______________________________________________________________________________
14. Define competition: ___________________________________________________________
15. What is the benefit of predator-prey relationships? ___________________________________
16. What do you think would happen if the predator relationship got too high? ________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
17. What is symbiosis? ___________________________________________________________
18. Define the following:
Define
(Examples – given in class)
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
19. Define:
Decomposer
Producer
Consumer
Carnivore
Scavenger
Omnivore
20. Draw a food chain showing the connection between the following:
Nile perch, humans, cichlids, algae, sun (be sure to draw the food chain in the correct order)
Identify the source of energy, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer and
producer in the diagram
21. What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
22. Use the diagram on p. 135 to answer the following questions:
When the organisms die, their energy goes to _________________ and ______________ which
are called ___________________________
List 3 primary consumers: _____________________________________________________
The energy in this food web actually started with the _______________ - it is how the pondweed
gets its energy.
The pondweed uses the solar energy and converts it to _________________ energy.
List 3 tertiary consumers: __________________________________________________________
How does the frog get energy? ______________________________________________________
Which species get energy from the minnow? ___________________________________________
p. 136-137
23. How is energy lost in an ecosystem? ______________________________________________
24. How much energy is passed from one level to the next? _______________________________
25. What is an energy pyramid? _____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
26. Draw an energy pyramid for: algae, minnow, perch, human