Ecology and Conservation
Each subtopic includes About section, revision page link, 10 preview questions, and practice CTAs.
Food Chains and Food Webs
SubtopicFood Chains and Food Webs under Ecology and Conservation for Grade 6 IB.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What is the term for an organism that eats dead or decaying plant and animal matter?
A.Detritivore
B.Producer
C.Apex predator
D.Autotroph
- 2.
Which part of the food chain is responsible for capturing light energy?
A.Apex predators
B.Decomposers
C.Producers
D.Primary consumers
- 3.
Which of these organisms is a herbivore?
A.Wolf
B.Rabbit
C.Eagle
D.Shark
- 4.
How do humans often disrupt food webs in the ocean?
A.By overfishing specific species
B.By planting too much seaweed
C.By feeding all the whales
D.By removing all the salt from the water
- 5.
In a food web, an organism can occupy different positions depending on the specific energy pathway being followed. Based on the diagram provided, what is the highest trophic level occupied by the Owl?
A.Third trophic level
B.Fourth trophic level
C.Fifth trophic level
D.Sixth trophic level
- 6.
If a food chain has 4 levels, which level contains the least amount of available energy?
A.Level 1 (Producers)
B.Level 2 (Primary Consumers)
C.Level 3 (Secondary Consumers)
D.Level 4 (Tertiary Consumers)
- 7.
What role do bacteria in the soil play in a food web?
A.They act as primary producers.
B.They act as decomposers by breaking down waste.
C.They act as top predators.
D.They provide shade for the plants.
- 8.
If you were to create a 'Pyramid of Energy' for a forest, which level would ALWAYS be the widest?
A.The top predators
B.The herbivores
C.The producers
D.The decomposers
- 9.
Which of the following is a biotic component of a food web that participates in both the carbon cycle and energy flow?
A.Sunlight
B.Carbon dioxide
C.A primary producer
D.Water
- 10.
A 'niche' is often defined by an organism's place in the food web. If two species occupy the exact same niche, what is the most likely outcome?
A.They will cooperate to share the resources.
B.One species will outcompete and eventually eliminate the other from that area.
C.They will both evolve to become producers.
D.They will merge into a single new species.
Download the worksheet for Ecology and Conservation - Food Chains and Food Webs to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
SubtopicBiotic and Abiotic Factors under Ecology and Conservation for Grade 6 IB.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is a biotic factor that plants need for pollination?
A.Wind
B.Butterflies
C.Rain
D.Sunlight
- 2.
Which of these is an abiotic factor that could be found in a desert?
A.Sand dunes
B.Rattlesnakes
C.Scorpions
D.Prickly pear cacti
- 3.
In a forest, the amount of shade provided by a canopy is an example of:
A.A biotic factor affecting an abiotic factor
B.An abiotic factor affecting a biotic factor
C.A biotic factor affecting another biotic factor
D.None of the above
- 4.
Which of these is a biotic factor that helps break down dead material?
A.Wind
B.Water
C.Bacteria
D.Heat
- 5.
A lichen is an organism made of a fungus and an alga living together. When lichens grow on bare rock, how do they contribute to the ecosystem?
A.They are abiotic factors that keep the rock cool.
B.They are biotic factors that chemically break down the rock to form soil.
C.They are abiotic factors that prevent other plants from growing.
D.They are biotic factors that turn the rock into pure oxygen.
- 6.
Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor that changes throughout the day in a tide pool?
A.The number of crabs hiding under rocks.
B.The water level as the tide comes in and goes out.
C.The amount of seaweed attached to the stones.
D.The population of microscopic plankton.
- 7.
In a forest, the 'canopy' (the top layer of leaves) acts as a biotic factor that modifies which abiotic factor for the plants on the forest floor?
A.The amount of gravity.
B.The intensity of light reaching the ground.
C.The mineral content of the deep rocks.
D.The presence of magnetic North.
- 8.
When a glacier retreats, it leaves behind bare rock. Which abiotic factor is missing that prevents complex biotic communities (like a forest) from growing immediately?
A.Atmospheric oxygen for the trees to breathe.
B.Sunlight, because glaciers only exist in total darkness.
C.Soil with organic matter and nutrients to support root systems.
D.Carbon dioxide, which is all trapped inside the ice.
- 9.
In a 'closed' ecosystem like a sealed terrarium, why is the balance between the biotic processes of photosynthesis and respiration critical for the abiotic atmosphere?
A.Because the organisms need to create more matter to fill the extra space.
B.To ensure that and levels remain stable so they don't become limiting factors.
C.To prevent the gravitational pull inside the jar from increasing.
D.To stop the light from the sun from turning into solid water.
- 10.
Allelopathy is a biotic interaction where a plant releases chemicals into the soil to inhibit the growth of neighboring plants. How does this biotic factor change the abiotic environment for other species?
A.It changes the chemical composition of the soil, making it toxic for competitors.
B.It increases the amount of sunlight reaching the soil.
C.It raises the temperature of the soil to a point where seeds cannot sprout.
D.It physically removes water from the soil and stores it in the air.
Download the worksheet for Ecology and Conservation - Biotic and Abiotic Factors to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Energy Pyramids
SubtopicEnergy Pyramids under Ecology and Conservation for Grade 6 IB.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
What is the ultimate role of the energy pyramid model in science?
A.To show how many animals live in a forest
B.To show the flow of energy and the decrease in available energy at each level
C.To show which animals are the fastest
D.To count the number of plants in a garden
- 2.
Which level of the energy pyramid has the most 'useful' energy available to be used by the rest of the ecosystem?
A.Top Level
B.Third Level
C.Second Level
D.Bottom Level
- 3.
Where does the energy stored in a primary consumer come from?
A.Eating secondary consumers
B.Directly from the Sun
C.Eating producers
D.The soil
- 4.
As energy moves up the pyramid, what happens to the total biomass (total mass of all organisms) at each level?
A.It generally decreases
B.It generally increases
C.It stays exactly the same
D.It doubles
- 5.
If a hawk eats a snake, which has eaten a mouse, which has eaten seeds, which level is the snake?
A.Level 1
B.Level 2
C.Level 3
D.Level 4
- 6.
Which of the following statements best describes energy transfer?
A.of energy is transferred to the next level
B.Energy increases as it moves up the pyramid
C.of energy is lost as heat
D.of energy is passed to the next trophic level
- 7.
Where do decomposers fit in the context of an energy pyramid?
A.Only at the very top
B.Only at the very bottom
C.They receive energy from all levels
D.They provide energy directly to the sun
- 8.
Which of the following labels correctly identifies the energy flow in a pyramid, from bottom to top?
A.Autotrophs Herbivores Primary Carnivores Secondary Carnivores
B.Heterotrophs Autotrophs Herbivores Carnivores
C.Decomposers Producers Consumers Scavengers
D.Primary Consumers Secondary Consumers Tertiary Consumers Producers
- 9.
Why is the rule only an approximation for energy pyramids?
A.Actual efficiency varies depending on the species, the ecosystem, and the environmental conditions.
B.Computers have shown the real number is always exactly .
C.The rule only applies to marine ecosystems, not terrestrial ones.
D.Energy transfer is actually efficient, but we can't measure it all.
- 10.
What would happen to an energy pyramid if the sun were blocked by a massive volcanic ash cloud for several years?
A.The base of the pyramid would shrink, causing all subsequent levels to shrink or disappear.
B.The pyramid would invert because animals would eat the ash for energy.
C.The decomposers would become the new primary producers at the base.
D.The pyramid would remain the same because animals do not need the sun.
Download the worksheet for Ecology and Conservation - Energy Pyramids to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.
Human Impact on Ecosystems
SubtopicHuman Impact on Ecosystems under Ecology and Conservation for Grade 6 IB.
Preview questions (no answers)
- 1.
Which of these is a way to reduce water pollution at home?
A.Pouring old paint down the drain
B.Using eco-friendly cleaning products
C.Throwing used motor oil into the street
D.Flushing plastic wrappers down the toilet
- 2.
What is a 'carbon footprint'?
A.A black mark left on the ground by a shoe
B.The total amount of greenhouse gases produced by a person's activities
C.The size of a dinosaur's fossilized footprint
D.The amount of charcoal used in a barbecue
- 3.
How does 'crop rotation' (changing what is planted each year) help the soil?
A.It makes the soil very dry
B.It helps keep the soil healthy and full of nutrients
C.It stops the sun from hitting the ground
D.It prevents any bugs from living in the soil
- 4.
What is the effect of 'smog' on a city's environment?
A.It makes the air clearer for seeing stars
B.It can cause breathing problems for humans and animals
C.It helps plants grow much larger
D.It makes the rain taste like sugar
- 5.
What is the 'enhanced greenhouse effect' compared to the 'natural greenhouse effect'?
A.It is the extra warming caused by human-produced gases like and methane
B.It is the cooling of the Earth caused by planting too many trees
C.It is the way the moon reflects light back to the Earth at night
D.It is the process where the ozone layer becomes thicker every year
- 6.
Which of these is a major environmental problem caused by 'ghost nets' (discarded fishing nets) in the ocean?
A.They continue to trap and kill marine animals for many years
B.They dissolve and make the ocean water extremely sticky
C.They float to the surface and block the wind for sailboats
D.They act as a bridge for invasive land animals to cross the ocean
- 7.
Bald Eagles were once endangered because of the pesticide DDT. How did DDT specifically affect the eagles?
A.It caused their eggshells to become thin and break during incubation
B.It made the eagles lose their feathers and ability to fly
C.It made the fish they eat taste so bad they stopped eating
D.It caused the eagles to change their migration to the wrong direction
- 8.
The Montreal Protocol is considered one of the most successful environmental treaties. What was its primary focus?
A.Reducing the emission of greenhouse gases like methane.
B.Phasing out the production of substances that deplete the ozone layer, like CFCs.
C.Preventing the trade of endangered ivory from elephants.
D.Establishing a global tax on all plastic products.
- 9.
How does the loss of 'Apex Predators' affect the carbon storage capacity of some ecosystems, like kelp forests?
A.It has no effect because predators do not eat plants.
B.Removing predators (like sea otters) allows herbivores (like sea urchins) to overgraze the plants (kelp) that store carbon.
C.It increases carbon storage because the predators are no longer breathing out .
D.It causes the plants to grow faster because they are no longer afraid of the predators.
- 10.
What is 'Greenwashing'?
A.The process of cleaning plastic waste found in the ocean.
B.A marketing tactic where a company provides misleading information about how its products are more environmentally sound.
C.Painting the roofs of houses green to reflect sunlight.
D.Using recycled water to wash clothes.
Download the worksheet for Ecology and Conservation - Human Impact on Ecosystems to practice offline. It includes additional chapter-level practice questions.