Biology · Environmental Studies

Ecosystem Nutrition and Energy Flow

1,093 Questions

Ecosystem nutrition and energy flow questions cover trophic levels, food chains, and biodegradable materials. These concepts frequently appear in general science sections of major competitive exams. Review these questions to build a solid understanding of ecological interactions.

Trophic levels conceptFood chain orderAutotrophic nutritionEnergy assimilationScavengers and decomposers

Ecosystem Nutrition and Energy Flow Questions

Multiple choice botany adaptation plant adaptation adaptation in plants plant habitat importance and classification of angiosperms aquatic plant adaptations pollination through water life in water

The most effective defence of plants against herbivores are

  1. Morphological

  2. Chemical

  3. Temporal

  4. Developmental
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

To counter the herbivore attack, plants produce specialized morphological structures or secondary metabolites and proteins that have toxic, repellent effects on the herbivores. Plants confront the herbivores both directly by affecting host plant preference or survival and reproductive success (direct defense), and indirectly through other species such as natural enemies of the insect pests (indirect defense). Direct defenses are mediated by plant characteristics that affect the herbivores biology such as mechanical protection on the surface of the plants (e.g., hairs, trichomes, thorns, spines, and thicker leaves) or production of toxic chemicals such as terpenoids, alkaloids, anthocyanins, phenols, and quinones) that either kill or retard the development of the herbivores.

Multiple choice biology the living world: adaptations and classification animal classification and its benefits criteria for new system of classification five kingdoms of living organisms

Mostly animals fall in the category of

  1. Heterotrophs

  2. Autotrophs

  3. Decomposers

  4. Primary consumers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A heterotroph is an organism that cannot produce its own food and rely on others for its food requirement. Most animals fall in the category of heterotrophs. They are not able to synthesize their own food. They usually eat autotrophs (plants) to obtain the energy. The types of heterotrophs include herbivores, those who eat plants; carnivores, those who eat other animals; omnivores, those who eat both plants and animals. 

Thus, the correct answer is 'Heterotrophs.'

Multiple choice biology biodiversity and classification animal classification and its benefits criteria for new system of classification five kingdoms of living organisms

Maximum nutritional diversity is found in the group _________.

  1. Fungi

  2. Animalia

  3. Monera

  4. Plantae
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Fungi take their nutrition by absorbing organic compounds from the surrounding environment. Monera kingdom contains unicellular prokaryotic organism. Kingdom Plantae consists of multicellular photosynthetic eukaryotes. Kingdom Animalia has multicellular eukaryotic  organisms which consume organic matter and hence maximum nutritional diversity is found in this group.

The correct answer is B.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Organisms which obtain their food from non-living material environment are called

  1. Autotrophs

  2. Epiphytes

  3. Parasites

  4. Saprophytes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Saprophytes are organisms that obtain their nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter, which is considered non-living material in an environmental context.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Organisms that feed upon decaying matter are called as

  1. Heterotrophs

  2. Saprophytes

  3. Myxophytes

  4. Autotrophs
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Depending upon the mode of nutrition the organisms are classified as autotroph and heterotroph. 

The autotrophs can synthesize their own food material from inorganic substances. 
The heterotrophs cannot synthesize their own food material. They have to obtain their food from other organisms. 
Saprophytes are one of the types heterotrophs. They are organisms which derive their food from dead and decayed organisms. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Which one of the following has a saprophytic mode of nutrition?

  1. Roundworm

  2. Leech

  3. Mushroom

  4. Lice
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The mode of nutrition in which non-green plants take in nutrients in solution form from dead and decaying matter is called saprophytic or saprotrophic nutrition. Fungi, mushrooms, yeast and many bacteria are examples of saprophytes. Roundworms, leeches and lice are parasites, i.e., they live on or in another organism and get their nutrition from them.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

The organisms obtain nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter from which mode?

  1. Parasite

  2. Autotroph

  3. Saprophytes

  4. Holozoic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Holozoic modes of nutrition is a method of nutrition that involves the ingestion of liquid or solid organic material, digestion, absorption and assimilation of it to utilize it. For example, amoeba. 

Saprophytes are the animals which feed on dead and decaying animals. For example, moulds, mushroom etc. 
Parasitic mode of nutrition is that in which organism feeds on a living organism (host). For example, leach, flatworm,plain worms etc. 
Autotroph is an organism that manufactures its own food from inorganic substances, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia. Most autotrophs, such as green plants, certain algae, and photosynthetic bacteria, use light for energy. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Few plants cannot synthesise food on their own and depend upon other plants and small animals. They are called as heterotrophic plants. These heterotrophs are classified in

  1. Thallophytes and bryophytes

  2. Saprophytes and parasites

  3. Xerophytes and hydrophytes

  4. Saprophytes and pteridophytes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Parasite are the organism, which depends upon other organism for its nourishment and growth, is known as parasite. It has intracellular digestion. It causes harm to the organism. 

Saprophyte is an organism, which grows on dead and decaying material for its growth, is known as saprophyte. It shows extracellular digestion. It does not depend on living host. 
Thallophytes, bryophytes, xerophytes, pteridophytes and hydrophytes are autotrophs. 
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Bread mould gets its food

  1. Through photosynthesis

  2. Non living matter

  3. By eating herbivorous animals

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Bread mold (Rhizopus stolonifer) is a widely distributed thread-like mucoralean mold. Commonly found on bread surfaces, it takes food and nutrients from the bread and causes damage to the surface where it lives. Asexual spores are formed within pinhead-like sporangia, which break to release the spores when mature. Germination of these spores forms the haploid hyphae of a new mycelium. R. stolonifer grows rapidly at temperatures between 15 and 30°C. 

Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Which of the following plants shows the saprotrophic mode of nutrition?

  1. Dodder

  2. Venus fly trap

  3. Nepenthes

  4. Mushroom
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

While mushrooms are actually fungi rather than plants, they exhibit saprotrophic nutrition by obtaining nutrients from dead and decaying organic matter in soil. Unlike the other options which are parasitic or carnivorous plants, mushrooms are decomposers.

Multiple choice botany know the plant world closely nutrition and its types types of nutrition in plants different modes of nutrition in plants

Which of the following is true about Saprophytes?

  1. They trap insects to meet their nitrogen requirement.

  2. They live on decaying organic matter.

  3. They share their food and shelter.

  4. Saprophytes contain chlorophyll.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
A saprophyte or saprotroph is an organism which gets its energy from dead and decaying organic matter. This may be decaying pieces of plants or animals. This means that saprophytes are heterotrophs. They are consumers in the food chain. This is the typical life-style of fungi.

So, the correct answer is 'They live on decaying organic matter.'.