🌿 Part 1: Ecosystem Relationships

1. Which relationship describes a bee collecting nectar from a flower while helping the flower reproduce?

Predation

Mutualism

Competition

Parasitism

2. In a forest ecosystem, wolves hunt deer for food. This is an example of:

Commensalism

Mutualism

Predation

Symbiosis

3. Which abiotic factors directly affect plant growth in an ecosystem? (Check all that apply)

Sunlight

Water availability

Herbivores

Soil nutrients

Temperature

4. Two different bird species eating the same type of seeds in a meadow is an example of:

Predation

Competition

Mutualism

Parasitism

🔬 Part 2: Ecosystem Analysis

5. Fill in the blanks about energy flow:

In most ecosystems, energy enters through _____________ and is captured by _____________ during photosynthesis. This energy then flows from producers to _____________ to _____________ consumers.

6. Explain how a change in rainfall (abiotic factor) could affect the relationships between organisms in a grassland ecosystem:

7. Describe one example of mutualism and explain how both organisms benefit:

🌍 Part 3: Ecosystem Patterns

8. A student observes that certain plants only grow near a stream in the desert. Construct an explanation for this pattern using your knowledge of abiotic factors:

9. In a coral reef ecosystem, small fish called cleaner fish remove parasites from larger fish. The cleaner fish get food while the larger fish stay healthy. How does this interaction help maintain balance in the ecosystem?