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AP®Environmental ScienceCollege BoardExam QuestionsUnit 1: The Living World: EcosystemsFood Chains & Food Webs

Food Chains & Food Webs (College Board AP® Environmental Science): Exam Questions

7 mins7 questions
11 mark

Although the bald eagle population has rebounded from historic lows, local threats persist. Which of the following explains the impact of a reduced bald eagle population?

Food web diagram showing a fox, bald eagle, squirrel, ground squirrel, rabbit, grasshopper, and grass. Arrows indicate the flow of energy.

  • The population of rabbits would increase because there is more grass for them to eat.

  • The fox population will decline due to competition for ground squirrels.

  • There will be improved water quality due to a reduction in the grasshopper population. 

  • There will be an increase in the rabbit population leading to overgrazing of grasslands. 

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21 mark

 What do the arrows in the model represent?

Food web diagram showing interactions among animals: fox, bald eagle, squirrel, ground squirrel, rabbit, grasshopper, and grass. Arrows indicate predation.

  • The migration patterns of different species.

  • The lifespan of various organisms in the food web.

  • The relative size of the population of each species.

  • The flow of energy from one trophic level to another.

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31 mark

Which of the following explains the role of decomposers in a food chain?

  • Decomposers compete with primary consumers for resources.

  • Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste materials, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

  • Decomposers convert inorganic carbon dioxide to glucose.

  • Decomposers consume secondary consumers to obtain energy.

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41 mark

Prey Organism 

Eaten by Mountain Lion 

Eaten by 

Coyote


Eaten by Racoon

Mule Deer

x

Jack Rabbit

x

x

Squirrel 

x

x

Grasshopper

x

x

Based on the data table above, what is a likely consequence if the number of mule deer suddenly decreases?

  • Coyotes will begin preying on mule deer instead of jack rabbits.

  • Mountain lions may experience a decline in population due to reduced food availability.

  • Raccoons will start hunting mule deer to compensate for the loss of other prey.

  • Jack rabbits will no longer be hunted by any predators.

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51 mark

Prey Organism 

Eaten by Mountain Lion 

Eaten by 

Coyote

Eaten by Racoon

Mule Deer

x

Jack Rabbit

x

x

Squirrel 

x

x

Grasshopper

x

x

Based on the data table above, which of the following would most likely result in an increase in the mountain lion population?

  • An increase in the mule deer population, providing more primary prey for mountain lion

  • A decrease in the jack rabbit population, reducing alternative prey sources.

  • An increase in the grasshopper population, which is not a prey item for mountain lions.

  • A decrease in the squirrel population, which is also consumed by mountain lions.

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61 mark

Prey Organism 

Eaten by Mountain Lion 

Eaten by 

Coyote

Eaten by Racoon

Mule Deer

x

Jack Rabbit

x

x

Squirrel 

x

x

Grasshopper

x

x

Which of the following is not represented in the feeding relationships shown in the data table? 

  • Primary producer

  • Primary consumer

  • Secondary consumer

  • Tertiary consumer 

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71 mark

Which of the following correctly classifies the feeding relationships in the following savannah scenario: a lion hunts and kills a zebra, a hyena picks at the zebra's remains, scarab beetles feed on the leftover fragments, and bacteria break down and recycle the remaining organic matter?

  • Lion: Predator; Hyena: Scavenger; Scarab beetles: Detritivores; Bacteria: Decomposers

  • Lion: Secondary consumer; Hyena: Predator; Scarab beetles: Herbivores; Bacteria: Producers

  • Lion: Predator; Hyena: Herbivore; Scarab beetles: Scavengers; Bacteria: Decomposers

  • Lion: Predator; Hyena: Secondary consumer; Scarab beetles: Decomposers; Bacteria: Detritivores

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