Relationships & Cycles of Matter
& Energy in Ecosystems Study Guide
6th Grade PSI Science
Name _____________________________________
Understand the following pieces of information in preparation for your UNIT TEST!
1. What are the levels of Ecology?
a) _________________________________________
b) _________________________________________
c) _________________________________________
d) _________________________________________
e) _________________________________________
f) _________________________________________
2. Define biosphere
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Define biomes
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Define ecosystems
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Define Communities
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Define Habitats
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Define Populations
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Define Organisms
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. Why is it useful to know the different classification of ecology?
10. What make up an ecosystem?
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
Matter & Energy in Ecosystems
11. What are the processes performed by all living things?
a) _________________________________________
b) _________________________________________
c) _________________________________________
d) _________________________________________
e) _________________________________________
f) _________________________________________
12. What is a biotic factor?
13. What is an abiotic factor?
14. What is an autotroph?
15. What is a heterotroph?
16. What are the types of heterotrophs?
a) _________________________________________
b) _________________________________________
c) _________________________________________
17. What do living things depend on the environment for?
a) _________________________________________
b) _________________________________________
c) _________________________________________
d) _________________________________________
18. What is a carrying capacity?
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
Matter & Energy in Ecosystems
19. How do organisms compete for resources within a food web?
20. What resources do animals compete for?
21. What resources do plants compete for?
22. Define predator.
23. Define prey.
24. What happens to an ecosystem when a predator is introduced or removed?
25. What are invasive species and how do they impact ecosystems?
26. Define adaptation.
27. What are anatomical adaptations?
28. What are behavioral adaptations?
29. How do plants and animals rely on each other?
30. What are symbiotic relationships?
31. Define the three types of symbiotic relationships.
a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
b) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
c) _________________________________________________________________________________________________
32. How are all organisms connected?
33. What could cause an unbalance in an ecosystem?
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
Matter & Energy in Ecosystems
34. Define food chain.
35. What are the three types of organisms that make up a food chain?
a) _________________________________________
b) _________________________________________
c) _________________________________________
36. Define atom.
37. How do atoms cycle through the food chain?
38. What is a food web?
39. How is energy transferred in a food web?
40. How does matter cycle through a food web?
41. Define photosynthesis and the role it plays in food webs
42. What happens to unused energy in food webs?
43. Define decomposition.
44. Why is decomposition an important step of the cycle?
www.njctl.org
6th Grade PSI
Matter & Energy in Ecosystems