Science 10 - Ecosystems

Ecology Review
 Amphibians are exposed to
more environmental hazards
than other forms of life because:
they spend part of their life in an aquatic
environment and part in a terrestrial
environment.
 Frogs are particularly good
indicators of ecological damage
to the environment because:
• All of the above. In other words …
(a) pollutants can enter their bodies directly
through their skins.
(b) they are susceptible to ultraviolet radiation.
(c) their ability to reproduce is affected by acid
rain.
 Which one of the following
statements is true?

(b) Tadpoles are herbivores and mature

frogs are carnivores.
Why?
Tadpoles consume aquatic plants and
algae, while mature frog eat insects.
The term “consumer” is used to
define an organism that:

(c) may eat plants or animals;

Populations of native species in
the Great Lakes have suffered
from the introduction of exotic
species that cause difficulties
most often because they:
(c) interfere with the food chain
by competing for sources of
food;
 Biodiversity is, a term that is
used to describe, the differences
that exist in the:

(b) variety of organisms

A group of organisms of the
same species living together
is referred to as a(n):

(c) population
 A group of organisms of
different species that live and
interact together is referred to
as a(n):

(b) community
 An organism that makes its
own food from basic nutrients
is called a(n):

(a) autotroph
 An organism that
consumes other living
things is called a(n):

(b) heterotroph
An example of an
autotroph is a:

(c) maple tree

An example of a
heterotroph is a:

(b) deer
 For the food chain shown below, construct a
simple table in which you identify the stage of
the food chain that each organism occupies.

Algae …… Producer
Crustacean ….. Primary Consumer
Fish ….. Secordary Consumer
Bald eagle ….. Top carnivore
Populations of native species in the
Great Lakes have suffered from the
introduction of exotic species that
cause difficulties most often
because they:
(c) interfere with the food
chain by competing for
sources of food
Biodiversity is a term that is
used to describe differences
that exist in the:

(b) variety of organisms

The role that an organism
plays in the ecosystem is
called a:

(c) niche
A non-native species that
is introduced into an
ecosystem is said to be:

(b) exotic
After DDT had been used
for a period of time:

(b) it began to accumulate

in the bodies of top
carnivores.
 Modern water-soluble
pesticides have less effect
on top predators because:

(d) they do not

accumulate in the bodies
of the top predators.
Which of the following is
not considered to be a
reservoir for inorganic
carbon?

(a) trees
A sustainable ecosystem
is one that:
• meets the needs of present
generations without
compromising the needs of
future generations
 The biome with the
greatest biodiversity in
Canada is the:

•temperate
deciduous forest
The most fragile biome
in Canada is the:

•tundra
The biome that covers the
greatest amount of area in
Canada is the:

•boreal forest
The biome with the least amount of
naturally-occurring ecosystems
remaining in Canada is the:

•grasslands
Complete the following chemical
equation to show the number of
molecules of reactants and
products required for the reaction
to occur.

6 CO 2 + 6H O
2 + light energy C6H12O6 + 6O 2
Frogs occupy different positions on the food
chain depending on whether they are in the
tadpole or mature stage.
Construct a food chain of at least
four steps for:
Algae tadpole water boatman perch

Cattails grasshopper mature frog heron

 Define:
Extinct: a species that has disappeared
everywhere
Threatened: a species that is likely to become
endangered if factors affecting it are not
reversed
Extirpated: a species that no longer exists in part
of Canada but can be found elsewhere
Endangered: wildlife species facing imminent
extirpation or extinction
Special concern: A wildlife species that may
become a threatened or an endangered species
because of a combination of biological
characteristics and identified threats
 Students on a field trip are asked to describe
some of the communities they observe.
Make a list of at least four biotic factors and
four abiotic factors they would probably
experience in examining a pond.

Biotic: water lilies, cattails, frogs,

dragonflies, minnows, etc.
Abiotic: water, rocks, clay, wind,
sunlight, etc.
How many trophic levels are represented in the
longest food chain in this food web? Six (6)
Name the species in that chain in order from the
first trophic level. Aquatic plants, tadpoles,
dragonflies nymphs, frogs, raccoons, hawk
If butterflies were removed from this ecosystem
what organisms would be affected and how
would this affect them?
• Frog/Dragonflies feed on them, their
populations would likely decline.
• Hawk & raccoons populations would be
reduced as they have less food.
 Wild Rose -> aphid -> ladybug ->insect-eating bird

Ecological pyramid

Pyramid of numbers Pyramid of biomass Pyramid of energy

 Canadian Biomes – abiotic factors
• Grassland • rich fertile soil with 25 to 75 cm of
precipitation per year
• Temperate • higher temperatures with up to 100
deciduous forest cm of precipitation per year

• Tundra • permafrost and very low

precipitation each year
• Boreal forest • acidic soil containing some water
and 40 cm of precipitation or more
per year
 Canadian Biomes – biotic factors
• Temperate • Rich layer of undergrowth, as well
deciduous forest as upper storey; deer, black bears,
wolves and woodpeckers.
• Tundra • rapid-flowering plants, mosses,
and lichens; caribou, ptarmagin,
and lemmings
• Grassland • fescue grasses with trees only
along rivers; grasshoppers, bison,
wolves, and hawks
• evergreen trees; squirrels, deer,
• Boreal forest pine martens, and seed-eating
birds