Biology Multiple Choice Questions for Pharmacy Entrance Exams on “Ecosystem – Energy Flow – 2”.
1. What is a group of organisms that transfer food energy through a linear series of processes such as eating and being eaten called?
a) Detritus
b) Food chain
c) Decomposers
d) Producers
Answer: b
Clarification: A group of organisms that transfer food energy through a linear series of processes such as eating and being eaten is known as a food chain. A food chain always proceeds in a progressive straight line and intertwine into food webs.
2. What is a network of food chains interconnecting at various trophic levels and representing feeding relationships within a community called?
a) Food web
b) Decomposers
c) Herbivores
d) Food industry
Answer: a
Clarification: A network of food chains interconnecting at various trophic levels and representing feeding relationships within a community is called a food web. Food webs are formed because of interdependency such that an animal feeds on a plant or on another animal and in turn, becomes food for another.
3. What is the food chain beginning with host and ending with a parasite (ecto as well as endoparasite) called?
a) Detritus food chain
b) Parasitic food chain
c) Grazing food chain
d) Terrestrial food chain
Answer: b
Clarification: A group of organisms that transfer food energy through a linear series of repeated processes of eating and being eaten is called a food chain. The food chain beginning with host and ending with a parasite (ecto as well as endoparasite) is called a parasitic food chain.
4. What are the organisms that cannot manufacture their own food and obtain ready-made organic food from producers called?
a) Decomposers
b) Autotrophs
c) Scavengers
d) Consumers
Answer: d
Clarification: The organisms that cannot manufacture their own food and obtain ready-made organic food from producers are called consumers. These are heterotrophic organisms belonging from second to fifth trophic level.
5. To which trophic level do producers (photosynthesizers or autotrophs) belong?
a) Second
b) Third
c) First
d) Fifth
Answer: c
Clarification: Producers are organisms that make their own food with the help of energy obtained from chemicals or the sun, water, and air. They belong to T1 that is the first trophic level.
6. Which are the three types of consumers?
a) Autotrophs, heterotrophs, and decomposers
b) Herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers
c) Producers, heterotrophs, and decomposers
d) Herbivores, heterotrophs, and carnivores
Answer: b
Clarification: The organisms that cannot manufacture their own food and obtain ready-made organic food from producers are called consumers. The herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers are the three main types of consumers.
7. How many levels do carnivores occupy?
a) 8
b) 1
c) 5
d) 3
Answer: d
Clarification: The carnivores are the organisms that primarily and exclusively feed on other animals (herbivore or carnivore) for energy. They may occupy 2-3 trophic levels in an ecosystem.
8. To which trophic level do top or ultimate carnivores belong?
a) T1
b) T3
c) T4
d) T10
Answer: c
Clarification: The carnivores are the organisms that primarily and exclusively feed on other animals (herbivore or carnivore) for energy. The top or ultimate carnivores belong to T4 or T5 that is the fourth or fifth trophic level.
9. What is the step or division that organisms occupy in a food chain that is characterized by the method of obtaining its nutrition to fulfill its energy requirements called?
a) Trophic level
b) Food chain
c) Food web
d) Food pyramid
Answer: a
Clarification: The step or division that organisms occupy in a food chain that is characterized by the method of obtaining their nutrition to fulfill their energy requirements is known as a trophic level. The producers and consumers are the two fundamental trophic levels.
10. What is the number of trophic levels equal to?
a) Number of producers
b) Number of consumers
c) Number of divisions in a food chain
d) Number of carnivores
Answer: c
Clarification: The step or division that organisms occupy in a food chain that is characterized by the method of obtaining their nutrition to fulfill their energy requirements is known as a trophic level. The number of trophic levels is equivalent to the number of divisions in a food chain.
11. Which organisms are included in the last trophic level?
a) Autotrophs
b) Decomposers
c) Carnivores
d) Producers
Answer: b
Clarification: The decomposers occupy the last trophic level that is T6. It is also known as the detritus trophic level. They are the last organisms belonging to a food chain.
12. Which organisms do not have any fixed trophic levels?
a) Decomposers
b) Autotrophs
c) Parasites
d) Carnivores
Answer: c
Clarification: Parasites are the organisms that do not have any fixed trophic levels. This is because they feed producers (autotrophs), herbivores as well as carnivores (consumers) of different trophic levels, e.g. Cuscuta, ticks, leeches, mosquitoes, etc.
13. What is a parasitic food chain alternatively called?
a) Detritus food chain
b) Auxilliary food chain
c) Grazing food chain
d) Trophic level
Answer: b
Clarification: The food chain beginning with host and ending with a parasite (ecto as well as endoparasite) is called a parasitic food chain. It is alternatively called an auxiliary food chain.
14. What is a food chain beginning with detritus on which decomposers feed called?
a) Grazing food chain
b) Parasitic food chain
c) Primary food chain
d) Detritus food chain
Answer: d
Clarification: A food chain beginning with detritus on which decomposers feed is known as the Detritus food chain (DFC). The organisms that are responsible for the break down complex organic matter (dead or decaying organisms) into inorganic substances are called decomposers (detritivores).
15. What is a food chain consisting of autotrophs, heterotrophs, and carnivores called?
a) Grazing food chain
b) Quaternary food chain
c) Parasitic food chain
d) Detritus food chain
Answer: a
Clarification: A food chain consisting of autotrophs (producers), heterotrophs, and carnivores (consumers) is known as a grazing food chain. It is the most common food chain and is designated as GFC.
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