Ecology Trophic Ecology: Feeding relationships and energy transfer by Devin Reese, PhD. Reading Quiz Teach with this 1. Which organism in this image is best described as a detritivore? Use this image to answer question 1. Copyright Visionlearning Leaf Earthworm Blackbird Hawk 2. Autotrophs are likely to make up multiple levels of a food chain, while heterotrophs typically make up just one level. true false 3. Why are autotrophs at the base of food chains? They can make their own energy, which then gets passed up the chain. They can make their own energy, which then gets shared laterally across the base. They can make their own food, which then sends energy up the chain. They can make their own food, which then sends energy laterally across the base. 4. Even in an ecosystem with lots of feeding organisms, some energy gets lost from a food chain. true false 5. Scientists studying Galápagos Island food chains found that the largest island - Isabela - had 6 trophic levels, in contrast to other islands with 4-5. Which hypothesis does their evidence support? Energy-productivity hypothesis Ecosystem size hypothesis Disturbance hypothesis Some other hypothesis 6. In this diagram of a food web, how many organisms can be classified as consumers? Use this figure to answer question 6. CC-BY-SA Missouri Department of Conservation 3 5 9 10 7. Based on this food web depiction, how many organisms are secondary consumers? Use this figure to answer questions 7-8. CC BY 2.0 Siyavula Education 5 8 13 16 8. If humans came into this ecosystem and heavily hunted the lions, there could be ramifications for all the species depicted in the food web. true false 9. Which is the BEST description of how this food web gets disrupted? Use this image to answer question 9. Public Domain Toxins move up the food web from herbivores to carnivores. Toxins move up the food web from carnivores to herbivores. Toxins move down the food web from herbivores to carnivores. Toxins move down the food web from herbivores to carnivores. 10. What is the BEST explanation for the downward trend from left to right in the graph? Use this graphic to answer question 10. Used with permission from John Wiley & Sons. When rainforest is converted to oil palm plantations, less energy is available to carnivores. When rainforest is converted to oil palm plantations, less vegetation is available for herbivores. When rainforest is converted to oil palm plantations, herbivores consume more vegetation. When rainforest is converted to oil palm plantations, herbivores multiply, reducing energy flux. 11. How are food web dynamics and ecosystem services connected? Anytime a food web is changed, the services it provides to humans decline. Anytime a food web is changed, the services it provides to humans increase. Changes to food webs alter flows of energy and biomass that link to ecosystem services. Changes to food webs decrease energy and biomass flows that link to ecosystem services. Score Quiz