Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

Biomes and Adaptations

Identify the biome that matches the correct climate and characteristics (1-9).
Climate/Characteristics
1. Hot summers and cool winters, moderate
rainfall; Grasses with few to no trees,
prairie animals; Midwest US and Africa
2. Rivers, streams, lakes, and
ponds; flowing water with little
plant life or standing with algae;
animals with suckers or hooks that
attach to rocks, etc.
3. Cool summers and cold winters;
plenty of rain; mostly coniferous
trees and animals migrate or
hibernate; North America
4. Four distinct seasons, warm
summers and cool winters, year
round rainfall; mostly deciduous
trees and animals that may
migrate or hibernate, Mississippi
and Eastern US
5. Hot days and cold nights, little
rain; plants that store water with
roots that run deep into the
ground, some animals that are
nocturnal
6. Year round high temperatures
an high rainfall, most bio-diverse
in plants and animals; South
America
7. Oceans, coral reefs, aphotic
zone, intertidal zone; bio-diverse
plant and animal life
8. Cold temperatures with frozen
permafrost soil and little rain;
small plants with shallow roots,
animals with thick fur/lots of fat;
Likely to migrate or hibernate;
Alaska, Canada
9. Rivers and streams merge with
the ocean; plants such as algae,
seaweed, marsh and swamp

Biomes
A. Taiga
B. Tundra
C. Temperate Deciduous Forest
D. Grasslands
A. Saltwater
B. Estuaries
C. Freshwater
A. Temperate Deciduous Forest
B. Grasslands
C. Taiga
D. Tundra
A. Grasslands
B. Taiga
C. Desert
D. Temperate Deciduous Forest
A. Taiga
B. Temperate Deciduous Forest
C. Grasslands
D. Desert
A. Temperate Deciduous Forest
B. Grasslands
C. Desert
D. Rainforest
A. Estuaries
B. Freshwater
C. Saltwater
A. Taiga
B. Grasslands
C. Tundra
D. Temperate Deciduous Forest
A. Estuaries
B. Saltwater
C. Freshwater

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

grass; animals such as crab,
shrimp, immature fish; Gulf Coast
and other coastal areas
10. In which biome would you expect to find animals with the following
adaptations: herds of large mammals that eat grass, birds that nest on
the ground, and small mammals that tunnel underground?
A. Temperate Deciduous Forests
B. Grassland
C. Tropical Rainforest
D. Tundra
11. Which adaptation would you find in both a tundra and desert
biome?
A. large flowers
B. shallow roots
C. small leaves
D. deep roots
12. The graph below is a climatogram of a particular biome.

Which adaptation would be seen in animals in this biome?

A. Long thin bodies
B. Long thin ears

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

C. Thick body fat layers
D. Dark colored feathers

13. The spotted cuscus, resembling a sloth, lives in Australias tropical

rainforest region. This herbivorous mammal is primarily active at
night and feeds on fruit and leaves. Which of the following adaptations
(trait) would be found in the spotted cuscus?
A. Short tail
B. Wide/broad feet
C. Sharp teeth
D. Large eyes
14. Animals like the kangaroo have the ability to obtain water
through metabolism (eating and breakdown) of food. This
adaptation helps the kangaroo rat survive in which Biome?
A. Desert
B. Grassland
C. Deciduous Forest
D. Tropical Rainforest
15. The diagram shows the three levels of sagebrush plant roots.

Which statement describes the root adaptation of the sagebrush plant

in its biome (#3 is where root ends)?

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

A. The roots help stabilize the plant in the Taiga.

B. The roots access frozen, nutrient-rich soil in the Tundra
C. The roots access underground water sources in the desert.
D. The roots help the plant to compete for water sources in the Tropical
Rainforest.
Energy Pyramid, Food Chains, Food Webs, Relationships
16. The diagram below shows a pyramid of energy.

Which of the following groups would be most immediately affected

if the producers suddenly die out?
A. Decomposers
B. 1st level consumers
C. 2nd level consumers
D. 3rd level consumers
17. Consumers in the 4th trophic level of the energy pyramid receive
the least amount of energy and are not as numerous in the
ecosystem. Which of the following identifies the species found in the
4th trophic level?

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

A. Primary consumers
B. Secondary consumers

C. Tertiary consumers
D. Producers

18. Which of the following is feeding on primary consumer? (Hint: It

may help if you label the food chain!)

A. The owl
B. The shrew
C. The grasshopper
D. the owl and shrew
19. The diagram shows the cycling of nutrients in an ecosystem.

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

The removal of which of the following groups would cause an

immediate decrease in the amount of energy flowing through
the ecosystem?
A. Producers
B. Consumers
C. Decomposers
D. Inorganic nutrients

20. Study the food web below. Which organism in this food web
represents a decomposer? (You may want to refer to question
#19!)

Mushroom
A. Mushroom
B. Grass
C. Ants

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

D. Rattlesnake
21. A diagram of a food web is shown below.

Which organism in the food web receives the least amount of

energy from the producers? (You may want to refer to question
#17!)
A. Hawk
C. Grasshopper
B. Rabbit
D. Mouse
22. Mycorrhiza is a symbolic relationship between plant roots and
fungi. The fungi grow around the plant roots and increase the
surface area for the absorption of water and nutrients by the
plant. The plant roots, in turn, provide food-nutrients to the
fungus so both can survive. What type of symbiotic relationship is
mycorrhiza?
A. Commensalism
B. Competition
C. Parasitism
D. Mutualism
23. The common brushtail possum is marsupial native to Australia. This
possum was introduced (by scientists) to New Zealand where it had
no natural predators and had an abundant food supply. Which
of the following occurred a few years after the introduction of this
possum to New Zealand?
A. The possums became endangered then extinct.
B. The possums developed shorter life spans.
C. The possum population grew to a large size.

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

D. The possum population evolved (changed) into a different species.
25. Researchers conducted a seven year study of a rabbit
population and its predators in an ecosystem. During the first twoand-a-half years of study, the rabbit population rose steadily then
declined to the lowest level in the fourth year. The rabbit
population rose again during the last three years of the study.
Which of the following graphs shows how the population of the rabbit
predators would be expected to change during the same period (during
the same time as rabbit study) in the ecosystem? (Think about the
relationship between predator and prey. Also, think about how the
predators affect the rabbit population!)

Biogeochemical Cycles
26. Industrial companies have been known to pollute water causing
acid rain. At which stage of the water cycle is acid rain formed in
clouds due to the evaporation of polluted water?

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

A. Precipitation
B. Condensation
C. Filtration
D. Transpiration
27. Which of the following is not a beneficial form of oxygen that
can be used by organisms and is not stable?

A. O3

B. CO2
C. H 2O
D. metal
oxide
28. Which of the following does NOT contribute carbon dioxide to the carbon
cycle? (Think about which ones release carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere or soil!)

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

A. Animals
B. Plants
C. Combustion from factories
D. Bacteria and fungi
29. Which of the following changes nitrogen in the soil to nitrogen
gas which is then released to the air (atmosphere)?

A. decomposers
C. animal wastes
B. denitrifying bacteria
D. fertilizers
Ecological Succession

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

30. Volcanic eruptions can destroy an ecosystem by replacing
anything in the lava flow path with rock. After this occurs, the
ecosystem goes through ecological succession to restore the
ecosystem. Which of the following would be the pioneer species in
this example of primary succession?
Example of Primary Succession in a Terrestrial Community
Lichens Mosses
Grasses Schrubs and Seedlings
Trees
A. trees
B. grasses
C. mosses
D. lichens
31. Natural disasters such as wildfires can completely destroy the
ecosystem. Soil is the only abiotic factor that remains as the
ecosystem rebuilds itself through secondary succession. Which of
the following would be the climax community in the example of
ecological succession?

A. mosses and lichen

B. bushes
C. shrubs and small trees
D. forests
Human Impacts on the Environment
32. A community is concerned about the water quality of a nearby lake. Increased
sedimentation (soil buildup and runoff to the lake) that contains chemicals from
pesticides (used to kill insects) is endangering the native habitat as the pesticides move
up the food chain (biological magnification). Which of the following human activities
caused the increase in sedimentation in the lake?
A. Trees planted along the shore of the lake
B. Construction of new homes along the lake
C. The amount of sunlight on the lake

Unit 3 Organisms and the Environment-Ecosystems

D. The amount of fish in the lake

33. Solar energy and wind energy are ways that humans use
technology to conserve energy and the consumption of our natural
resources. Which of the following is the type of resource that humans
need to conserve before it is all used and cannot be immediately
replaced?
A. renewable resources
B. sunlight
C. non-renewable resources
D. wind
34. The earth protects all life from the suns harmful radiation.
Human activities such as the use of aerosol cans and air
conditioners have damaged this shield by releasing chemicals
(chlorofluorocarbons) to the atmosphere. Which of the following
describes the damaging of the earths protective shield?
A. Greenhouse Effect
B. Ozone Layer Depletion
B. Biogeochemical Cycle
C. Global Warming
35. In order to reduce the negative impact of human activity on
earth, which of the following would NOT be done?
A. recycle products to make to new products or reuse them
B. conserve natural resources such as fossil fuels
C. develop preserves to protect endangered species
D. build new businesses and homes after deforestation