Unit 4: Ecology  

Class Website:​ ​www.bentonbiology.weebly.com Mrs. Benton’s Email:​ ​sdcummings@jasper.k12.ga.us Standards:

https://tinyurl.com/lifestandards

● Ecology: study of _______________________ and how they interact with each other and their _______________________

● Decomposer: organism the breaks down _______________________ organisms

(Note: Typically bacteria or fungus; all arrows point towards it)
● Autotroph/Producer: organism that can _______________________ their own _______________________
(Note: Typically plants; all arrows point away from it)
● Herbivore: organism that eats only _______________________

● Omnivore: organism that eats both _______________________and _______________________

● Carnivore: organism that eats only _______________________

● Heterotroph/Primary, Secondary, or Tertiary Consumer: organism that __________________other organisms to obtain food/energy

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Organisms interact with each other in four different ways. Complete the table below to describe these four relationships.
Relationship Description

Mutualism
😃 😃 Both organisms ______________ from the relationship.

Commensalism
One organism ______________ from the relationship and the other is
______________.

Parasitism
One organism ______________ from the relationship and the other is
______________.

Predation
One organism ______________ from the relationship and the other is
______________.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Food Chain Food Web Energy Pyramid

Food chains run in __________________ Food webs run in ________________ Energy pyramids are organized into different
direction and point the food into the directions and point all food into all _____________ levels, in which only
mouth that eats it. the mouths that eat it. _____________% of the kcal are passed from
1
 one trophic level to the next.

Unit 4:Ecology Practice 

For each of the following, identify the type of relationship.
1. ​Barnacles are a type of crustacean that cannot move on their own. Instead, they stick to the bodies of whales. The barnacles get
nutrition and transportation, while the large whales that are on the move go without noticing their passengers._________________

2. Bacteria live in the intestines of humans. The bacteria eat the food that the human cannot digest and allow the human to have the
rest. The bacteria get food and the human gets free digestion. ​___________________

3. ​Orchids grow on trees and benefit by getting adequate sunlight and nutrition that flows down the branches. The orchids do not
grow to a large size, and thus the tree is not harmed in any way.______________________

4. A hawk soaring in the sky may see a rabbit or mouse below for lunch.​______________________________

5. In a food chain, matter flows in only ONE

direction, while matter flows in MANY directions
with a food web. Either way, the arrows always point
towards the mouth that eats. (cheeseburger → me)
Use the word bank below to label the food chain and
food web found on this page. Then, add your own
decomposer and arrows to the food web!
WORDBANK

● Secondary Consumer
● Primary Consumer
● Autotroph
● Producer
● Herbivore
● Carnivore
● Omnivore
● Heterotroph
● Tertiary Consumer

6. In an energy pyramid, matter flows from trophic level 1 (the

base) up towards trophic level two, three, four, etc. On back, turn
the food chain found on this page into an energy pyramid. This
pyramid should include the kcal, given that the secondary
consumer contains 45.6 kcal.
(Note: As you move up an energy pyramid, only 10% of the kcal
remain.
Ex: 231 → 23.1 →2.31 → 0.231)

2
 UNIT 4: Ecology ACTIVITY  

Place Each Phrase Below in the Correct Level for the Pyramid Given

Pyramid 1 Pyramid 2 Pyramid 3

● Heterotroph/Primary Consumer ● Trophic Level 1: Plant Place the three organisms below
● Autotroph/Producer ● Trophic Level 3: Carnivore and the correct kcal for each in the
● Heterotroph/Secondary Consumer ● Trophic Level 2: Herbivore correct trophic level.

25 kcal
(caterpillar)

Color all Trophic Levels 1s one color, all Trophic Level 2s one color, and all Trophic Level 3s one color.
After the pyramid has been cut out, but before it has been glued… turn the food chain from Pyramid 3 into a food web on back.

3
4