Ecology MCQs with Answers
Which of the following terms refers to the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment?
a) Ecology
b) Biology
c) Zoology
d) Botany
Answer: a) Ecology
The term “ecosystem” refers to:
a) A community of organisms
b) The physical environment
c) The study of plants
d) A community of organisms and their physical environment
Answer: d) A community of organisms and their physical environment
Which of the following is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?
a) Plants
b) Animals
c) Sunlight
d) Decomposers
Answer: c) Sunlight
The role an organism plays in its ecosystem is called its:
a) Habitat
b) Niche
c) Territory
d) Population
Answer: b) Niche
Which of the following is an example of a biotic factor in an ecosystem?
a) Temperature
b) Rainfall
c) Soil pH
d) Predation
Answer: d) Predation
The level of organization in ecology, from smallest to largest, is:
a) Organism, population, community, ecosystem
b) Organism, community, population, ecosystem
c) Organism, population, ecosystem, community
d) Community, population, organism, ecosystem
Answer: a) Organism, population, community, ecosystem
The study of the relationships between different species in a community is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Behavioral ecology
Answer: b) Community ecology
Which of the following is an example of a decomposer in an ecosystem?
a) Lion
b) Grasshopper
c) Mushroom
d) Tree
Answer: c) Mushroom
The process by which green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen is called:
a) Respiration
b) Photosynthesis
c) Decomposition
d) Fermentation
Answer: b) Photosynthesis
The movement of individuals into a population is called:
a) Immigration
b) Emigration
c) Migration
d) Dispersion
Answer: a) Immigration
Which of the following is an example of a primary consumer in a food chain?
a) Herbivore
b) Carnivore
c) Omnivore
d) Decomposer
Answer: a) Herbivore
The process by which energy is transferred between trophic levels in an ecosystem is called:
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Energy flow
d) Nutrient cycling
Answer: c) Energy flow
The process by which nutrients are returned to the environment from dead organisms and waste materials is called:
a) Respiration
b) Photosynthesis
c) Decomposition
d) Digestion
Answer: c) Decomposition
Which of the following is an example of a mutualistic relationship?
a) Predation
b) Competition
c) Commensalism
d) Pollination
Answer: d) Pollination
The total amount of living matter in a given area is called:
a) Biodiversity
b) Biomass
c) Population density
d) Community size
Answer: b) Biomass
The study of the movement of energy and nutrients through ecosystems is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Landscape ecology
Answer: c) Ecosystem ecology
Which of the following is an example of a keystone species?
a) Deer
b) Mouse
c) Otter
d) Squirrel
Answer: c) Otter
The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas is called:
a) Condensation
b) Precipitation
c) Evaporation
d) Transpiration
Answer: c) Evaporation
The process by which water changes from a gas to a liquid is called:
a) Condensation
b) Precipitation
c) Evaporation
d) Transpiration
Answer: a) Condensation
The process by which water falls from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface is called:
a) Condensation
b) Precipitation
c) Evaporation
d) Transpiration
Answer: b) Precipitation
Which of the following is a non-renewable resource?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Fossil fuels
d) Geothermal energy
Answer: c) Fossil fuels
The process by which nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form by bacteria is called:
a) Nitrogen fixation
b) Nitrification
c) Denitrification
d) Ammonification
Answer: a) Nitrogen fixation
Which of the following is an example of a primary succession?
a) A forest recovering after a fire
b) A pond filling with sediment over time
c) A field transitioning to a forest over several decades
d) A grassland undergoing seasonal changes
Answer: a) A forest recovering after a fire
The process by which individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce is called:
a) Evolution
b) Natural selection
c) Genetic drift
d) Speciation
Answer: b) Natural selection
Which of the following is an example of a renewable resource?
a) Oil
b) Natural gas
c) Solar energy
d) Coal
Answer: c) Solar energy
The study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environment is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Behavioral ecology
Answer: c) Ecosystem ecology
Which of the following is an example of a secondary consumer in a food chain?
a) Rabbit
b) Grasshopper
c) Snake
d) Deer
Answer: c) Snake
The process by which a population becomes better suited to its environment over time is called:
a) Evolution
b) Genetic drift
c) Adaptation
d) Speciation
Answer: c) Adaptation
The study of the interactions between different species in a community is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Behavioral ecology
Answer: b) Community ecology
Which of the following is an example of a pioneer species?
a) Grass
b) Tree
c) Shrub
d) Flower
Answer: a) Grass
The movement of individuals out of a population is called:
a) Immigration
b) Emigration
c) Migration
d) Dispersion
Answer: b) Emigration
The maximum number of individuals of a species that an ecosystem can support is called its:
a) Carrying capacity
b) Population size
c) Community size
d) Ecosystem capacity
Answer: a) Carrying capacity
The study of the movement of energy and nutrients through ecosystems is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Landscape ecology
Answer: c) Ecosystem ecology
Which of the following is an example of an invasive species?
a) Native grass
b) Endangered bird
c) Introduced snake
d) Native flower
Answer: c) Introduced snake
The process by which nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted into a usable form by bacteria is called:
a) Nitrogen fixation
b) Nitrification
c) Denitrification
d) Ammonification
Answer: a) Nitrogen fixation
Which of the following is an example of a climax community?
a) A grassland
b) A forest
c) A pond
d) A desert
Answer: b) A forest
The study of the interactions between organisms and their physical environment is called:
a) Population ecology
b) Community ecology
c) Ecosystem ecology
d) Behavioral ecology
Answer: c) Ecosystem ecology
Which of the following is an example of a producer in a food chain?
a) Herbivore
b) Carnivore
c) Omnivore
d) Autotroph
Answer: d) Autotroph
The process by which a new species evolves from an existing species is called:
a) Speciation
b) Hybridization
c) Adaptation
d) Genetic drift
Answer: a) Speciation
Which of the following is an example of a climat