In the food web below, which series of labels correctly identifies the cougar?

A. Autotroph and primary consumer
Incorrect. The cougar is not an autotroph and is not a primary consumer in the food web.

B. Heterotroph and primary consumer
Incorrect. The cougar is not a primary consumer in the food web.

C. Heterotroph and secondary consumer
Correct!

D. Autotroph and secondary consumer
Incorrect. The cougar is not an autotroph.

Which ecological interactions do the arrows represent?

A. Ecological succession in a community
Incorrect. Succession is a change in an environment over time.

B. The flow of energy in an ecosystem
Correct! Energy flows from one organism to another in the direction of the arrows.

C. Evolution in a community
Incorrect. Evolution represents a change in organisms over time.

D. The role of decomposers
Incorrect. Decomposers breakdown dead and decaying plants and animals.

Based on the information given in the ecological pyramid, which of the following statements is false?

A. There is a greater amount of energy stored in primary consumers than in secondary consumers.
Incorrect. Primary consumers have more energy than secondary.

B. There is a greater amount of energy stored in owls than in snakes.
Correct! Owls are at a trophic level above the snakes, having less energy.

C. There is a greater amount of energy stored in rabbits than in snakes or owls.
Incorrect. Rabbits are at a lower trophic level, having more energy.

D. There is a greater amount of energy stored in producers than in herbivores.
Incorrect. Producers have the most energy of all trophic levels.

Based on the ecological pyramid above, how much energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?

A. 90 percent
Incorrect. There is about 90 percent of energy that is lost to heat, etc.

B. 110 percent
Incorrect. The amount of energy transferred cannot exceed the original amount of energy present.

C. More than 20 percent
Incorrect. One hundred divided by 10 is equal to 10.

D. Less than 15 percent
Correct! There is about 10 percent of energy that is passed to the next trophic level.

In the food chain above, which of the following organisms has the correct set of labels?

A.

1st trophic level, heterotroph
Incorrect. The seaweed is on the first trophic level, but seaweed would be classified as an autotroph.

B.

2nd trophic level, heterotroph and carnivore
Incorrect. The limpet is on the second trophic level and a heterotroph, but it is not a carnivore.

C.

3rd trophic level, heterotroph and carnivore

D.

5th trophic level, heterotroph and carnivore