VELAMMAL BODHI CAMPUS, ANUPPANADI - MADURAI

ECOSYSTEM WORKSHEET
MCQ

1.Which is the National Aquatic Animal of India?

a.River dolphin b.Blue whale c.Seahorse d.Gangetic shark

2.A man-made ecosystem is

a.less in diversity b.more in diversity c.man does not make ecosystem

d.more stable than natural ecosystem

3.Nisha calculated the rate of formation of new organic matter by deer in a forest ecosystem.
It is called

a.standing crop b.primary productivity c.net primary productivity d.secondary productivity

4.If the energy produced at the level of the producers is 1000 J, the energy available for the
secondary consumers is

a.1000 J b.100 J c.10 J d.1 J

5.The rate of biomass production and the rate of production of organic matter during
photosynthesis are respectively called

a.total productivity, primary production b.gross primary productivity, gross secondary

productivity c.net primary productivity, gross secondary productivity d.productivity, gross
primary productivity

6.Approximately how much of the solar energy that falls on the leaves of a plant is converted
to chemical energy by photosynthesis?

a.Less than 1% b.2-10% c.30% d.50%

7.The direction of energy flow is

a.producers  carnivores  herbivores  decomposers b.producers  herbivores 

decomposers  omnivores c.producers  herbivores  carnivores  decomposers
d.producers  carnivores  herbivores  decomposers

8.The rate at which light energy is converted into chemical energy of organic molecules is the
ecosystem’s

a.net secondary productivity b.gross primary productivity c.net primary productivity d.gross
secondary productivity
9.Study the food web given as follows

Which of the following organisms in the given food web act both as a predator and a prey?

a.I,II and IV b.II,III and V c.II,III,V, VI and VII d.II,III and VI

10.Which of the following statements about productivity is true?

a.Primary productivity of all ecosystems is constant

b.Primary productivity depends on the plant species inhabiting a particular area

c.Net primary productivity is the amount of biomass available for consumption by carnivores
d.Secondary productivity is defined as the rate of formation of new organic matter by
decomposers

11.Which of the following representations shows the pyramid of biomass in an aquatic

ecosystem?

a.D b.A c.B d.C

12.Match column I and column II and select the correct option

Column I Column II

P. Fourth trophic level 1.Crow

Q.Second trophic level 2.Vulture

R.First trophic level 3.Rabbit

S.Third trophic level 4.Grass

a.P-2, Q-3, R-4, S-1 b.P-3, Q-2, R-1, S-4 c.P-4, Q-3, R-2, S-1 d.P-1, Q-2, R-3, S-4

13.Riyanka created a food chain. Identify the possible link “A” in the following food chain

Plant  Insect  Frog  “A”  Eagle

a.Rabbit b.Wolf c.Cobra d.Parrot

14.Of the total incident solar radiation, the proportion of PAR is

a.about 70% b.about 60% c.less than 50% d.more than 80%

15.Which one of the following processes during decomposition is correctly described?

a.Catabolism – Last step in the decomposition under fully anaerobic condition.

b.Leaching – Water soluble inorganic nutrients rise to the top layers of soil.

c.Fragmentation – Carried out by organisms such as earthworm.

d.Humification – Leads to the accumulation of a dark coloured substance humus which

undergoes microbial action at a very fast rate.

Case based questions

1.An ecology student was studying about pyramid of biomass which is a graphic
representation of biomass (total amount of living or organic matter in an ecosystem at any
time) per unit area in different trophic levels. He was provided with an assessment by his
teacher to analyse pyramid of biomass for 2 cases.
In case I, a food chain include grasses (70% population of entire ecosystem), rabbit, rats and
mice (50%), snakes, lizards (30%) and birds (10%).

In case II, a food chain includes diatoms (20%), zooplankton (40%), small fishes (60%) and
large fishes (80%)

A.In which of the given cases gross primary productivity (GPP) would be maximum?
a.Case I only because the number of producers are more than in case II
b.Case II because the number of consumers are more as compared to producers
c.Both cases I and II have equal GPP
d.Case I only because the number of consumers are less than that of producers

B. Which of the following are both predator and prey considering both cases I and II?
a.Lizards, zooplankton b.Snake, large fish c.Birds, lizards d.Grass, birds

C.Which of the following from case I represent same trophic level as that of zooplankton of
case II?
a.Snakes, lizards b.Lizards only c.Rabbits, rats and mice d.Birds

D.10,000 J of energy is available at diatom level in case II. What is expected energy at small
fish level?
a.1000 J b.100 J c.0.1 J d.10 J
2.Read the following and answer the questions given below

The given diagram represents the relationships between organisms in a remote pond
ecosystem
a.What will happen if consumer 4 is introduced from an external population in this
ecosystem?
b.Write the consequence of extermination of consumer 3 from the above shown ecosystem.
c.What will happen if disease occurs in population of producer I?
d.What are the advantage of having detritivore 1 in this pond ecosystem?

Reason and Assertion

The questions (Q. No. 1 to 10) consist of two statements each, printed as Assertion and
Reason. While answering these questions you are required to choose any one of the
following four responses.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
b.Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
c.A is true, but R is false
d.A is false, but R is true

1.Assertion : Gross primary productivity is always less than net primary productivity.
Reason : Rate of synthesis of organic matter by consumers is known as secondary
productivity

2.Assertion: Amount of organic matter synthesized by producers per unit time and per unit
area during the process of photosynthesis is referred to as net primary productivity
Reason : Primary productivity is usually high and sustained throughout the year in tropics due
to abundance of sunlight

3.Assertion : Saprophytes are not given any place in ecological pyramids.

Reason : Saprophytes secrete digestive enzymes to breakdown dead materials into simple
organic materials.

4.Assertion : Food web provides a number of alternate foods to consumers.

Reason : Food web is the natural inter-connection of food chains.

5.Assertion : Pond ecosystem shows inverted pyramid of number

 Reason : Tree and its dependents form inverted pyramid of number

6.Assertion : Herbivores are also called first order consumers.

Reason : Herbivores obtain their food directly from plants.

7.Assertion : Herbivores convert plant matter into animal matter.

Reason : Decomposers play a pivotal role in the ecosystem and indirectly support the
producers.

8.Assertion : Detritivores and decomposers have no place in ecological pyramid.

Reason : Detritivores and decomposers do not play any vital role in the ecosystem.

9.Assertion : Pyramid of biomass in sea is generally inverted.

Reason : Biomass of fishes far exceeds that of phytoplankton.

10.Assertion : A network of food chains existing together in an ecosystem is known as food

web.
Reason : An animal like kite cannot be a part of a food web.

2 marks
1.Name the dominant producers in a deep aquatic ecosystem. What other name could you
give to a primary consumer?

2.All the primary productivity is not available to a herbivore

3.What is a detritus food chain is made up of?

4.Savita while teaching on topic food web said that “Man can be a primary as well as a
secondary consumer”. What could be the reason for this statement?

5.Study the given food chain and calculate the amount of energy available at X and Y.

Grass  Rabbit  Snake

X 1000 Kcal Y

3 marks

1.How are productivity, gross productivity, net primary productivity and secondary
productivity interrelated?

2.Construct a labelled grazing and detritus food chain with minimum 4 trophic levels each.

3.a.Why is earthworm considered as a farmer’s friend?

b.Explain humidification and mineralization occurring in a decomposition cycle?

4.Name the type of food chains responsible for the flow of larger fraction of energy in an
aquatic and a terrestrial ecosystem respectively. Mention one difference between the two
food chains.

5.Explain “standing crop” in an ecosystem. Draw a pyramid of biomass when a small

standing crop of phytoplanktons supports a large standing crop of zooplanktons in the sea.

5 Marks

1.a.How can you say that the energy flow in an ecosystem supports the second law for
thermodynamics?

b.Name two man made ecosystems. How they are different from natural ecosystems?

2.Explain the different steps involved in the process of decomposition of detritus?

3.a.What is a trophic level in an ecosystem?

b.Explain the role of the first trophic level in an ecosystem.

c.How is the detritus food chain connected with the grazing food chain in a natural

ecosystem?

4.a.Taking an example of a small pond, explain how the 4 components of an ecosystem

function

as a unit.

b.Name the type of food chain that exists in a grassland ecosystem along with an example.