Name ______

Ecology Test #1

Directions: On your answer sheet, document the best answer.

1. Which of these food chains is in the correct order? a. caterpillar, grass, frog, snake c. snake, frog, caterpillar, grass b. grass, caterpillar, frog, snake d. grass, frog, caterpillar, snake

2. Which of these best fits the niche of a decomposer? a. They are at the highest level of the energy pyramid. b. They move water through an ecosystem. c. They make nutrients available for producers to reuse. d. They convert light energy into sugars through photosynthesis.

3. An unusually cold winter causes the squirrel population to decrease, which causes the greatest effect on: a. their predator. c. the climate. b. the ecosystem’s water. d. their habitat.

4. Which is not an example of ecology? a. A nest with a bird in it c. A train traveling from San Francisco to Phoenix b. A salmon swimming downriver d. An emperor penguin eating a fish

5. As an ecologist, what are the two most important things to know about a biome? a. Rainfall and temperature c. Population and temperature b. Rainfall and population d. Population and elevation

6. Directions: On your answer sheet, write all that could apply to a human being’s niche.

producer consumer second-level consumer carnivore

heterotroph omnivore herbivore third-level consumer

decomposer scavenger first-level consumer carrion

7. Directions: This picture is from a scene in the movie The Little Mermaid. This is a marine ecosystem. Choose one of the organisms in the picture, such as the shrimp, fish, or plants, and describe its niche. Directions: Using the Food Web Diagram, answer the short answer questions on your answer sheet.

8. What do the arrows in the food web represent?

9. List two producers in the food web.

10. List three consumers in the food web.

11. Draw one food chain that includes the sparrow.

12. Directions: The bunny in the below cartoon asks a good question. On your answer sheet, write the answer to the bunny’s question. Keep in mind the definition and theme of ecology. Be specific in your answer.

Please turn to the next page to complete your test. Directions: Choose three of the following essay questions and write the answers on your answer sheet. Each essay should be 4-6 sentences.

A. The sun has a huge effect on our water. It warms the oceans around the tropics, and its absence cools the water around the poles. Because of this, ocean currents move large amounts of warm and cold water, drastically affecting the weather and climate around the world. The sun also drives the water cycle, which moves about 18,757 cubic miles (495,000 cubic kilometers) of water vapor through the atmosphere every year. Explain why this story is NOT ecology.

B. According to an article dated October 7, 2014 in the Arizona Republic, the first confirmed unicorn was discovered in the Andes Mountains the previous weekend. After further research, the scientists realize the unicorns are being eaten by bears. Explain how the introduction of this new unicorn species will affect the bear population and why that change will occur.

C. Explain one way the world would be different if there weren’t any decomposers. Be specific. Your answer must define decomposers and explain their niche. D. In the November 2010 “Reader’s Digest” article, Lawrence Renn shared this story. “I used to drive past a business with a sign out front that read ‘Carnivorous plants and butterfly farm.’ But there’s clearly been some trouble. Last time I passed by, it simply stated ‘Carnivorous plants.” Explain why the farm had to change the sign.

E. You’ve been asked to teach Mr. Caldwell’s fifth grade class at Estrella Elementary School while he’s in a 20 minute meeting. You decide to teach his students about ecology. In 20 minutes, what would you teach them about ecology? Explain what you would teach, how you would teach it, and why you chose to teach those specific ecological things. NOTE: there is no right or wrong answer. I’m grading you on how well you defend your answer so be specific.