Biology ยท Environmental Studies

Ecosystem Nutrition and Energy Flow

1,235 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

Which of the following is NOT a common type of injury treated by wildlife rehabilitators?

  1. Broken bones

  2. Lacerations

  3. Burns

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

Poisoning is not a common type of injury treated by wildlife rehabilitators because it is often difficult to determine the source of the poisoning and to provide appropriate treatment.

Multiple choice

What is the primary benefit of feeding pets a plant-based diet?

  1. Reduced carbon footprint

  2. Improved animal welfare

  3. Lower risk of allergies

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

Plant-based pet food has a lower carbon footprint, promotes animal welfare by reducing the demand for meat production, and may reduce the risk of allergies in pets.

Multiple choice

Which amphibian species is critically endangered due to habitat loss and the chytrid fungus, and is known for its poisonous skin?

  1. Golden Poison Frog

  2. Poison Dart Frog

  3. Red-Eyed Tree Frog

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

The Golden Poison Frog, known for its poisonous skin, is critically endangered due to habitat loss and the chytrid fungus.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a keystone species?

  1. Sea otters.

  2. Coral reef-building species.

  3. Bees.

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

Keystone species are species that have a disproportionately large impact on their ecosystem relative to their abundance. Sea otters, coral reef-building species, and bees are all examples of keystone species, as they play crucial roles in maintaining the structure and function of their respective ecosystems.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the ecological role that predators play in an ecosystem?

  1. Producer

  2. Consumer

  3. Decomposer

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

Top predators are predators that are at the top of the food chain and have no natural predators of their own.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a type of functional trait?

  1. Morphological traits

  2. Physiological traits

  3. Behavioral traits

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

Species richness is a measure of species diversity, while functional traits are characteristics of individual organisms that influence their ecological roles.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a type of functional trait?

  1. Morphological traits

  2. Physiological traits

  3. Behavioral traits

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

Species richness is a measure of species diversity, while functional traits are characteristics of individual organisms that influence their ecological roles.

Multiple choice

What is the process by which animals convert food into energy?

  1. Photosynthesis

  2. Cellular respiration

  3. Fermentation

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

Cellular respiration is the process by which animals convert food into energy.

Multiple choice

How can provisioning services help to reduce the need for expensive imported goods?

  1. By providing locally produced alternatives to imported goods

  2. By reducing the cost of transportation of imported goods

  3. By increasing the value of locally produced goods

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

Provisioning services can help to reduce the need for expensive imported goods in multiple ways, including by providing locally produced alternatives to imported goods, reducing the cost of transportation of imported goods, and increasing the value of locally produced goods.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a functional trait?

  1. Leaf area

  2. Root depth

  3. Pollination mechanism

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

Species richness is a measure of the number of different species in a community, while functional traits are the different ways in which organisms perform their ecological roles.

Multiple choice

What is the potential of functional diversity to enhance the resilience of renewable energy systems?

  1. Functional diversity can increase the resilience of renewable energy systems to climate change

  2. Functional diversity can increase the resilience of renewable energy systems to pests and diseases

  3. Functional diversity can increase the resilience of renewable energy systems to extreme weather events

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

Functional diversity can enhance the resilience of renewable energy systems to climate change, pests and diseases, and extreme weather events.

Multiple choice

What is the process by which plants make food?

  1. Photosynthesis

  2. Respiration

  3. Transpiration

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

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make food in the form of glucose.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a key nutrient that is cycled through decomposition?

  1. Carbon

  2. Nitrogen

  3. Phosphorus

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

While carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus are essential nutrients that are cycled through decomposition, oxygen is not a nutrient in the same sense. Oxygen is a gas that is necessary for respiration and other metabolic processes, but it is not cycled through decomposition in the same way as nutrients.

Multiple choice

What is the term for the process by which animals obtain energy from food?

  1. Cellular respiration

  2. Photosynthesis

  3. Transpiration

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

Cellular respiration is the process by which animals obtain energy from food by breaking down glucose in the presence of oxygen.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not an example of a functional trait?

  1. Body size

  2. Diet

  3. Behavior

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

Habitat preference is not a functional trait, as it does not directly influence the role or interactions of a species within an ecosystem.