Ecology Review Worksheet - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to fill in the table and answer the questions.

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Step 1: Fill in the Levels of Organization Table

We need to define each level and give an example for organisms (like animals or plants).

Level 1: Organism
→ This is one living thing — like a single animal, plant, or bacterium.
*Example:* A dog, a tree, a human.

Level 2: Population
→ A group of the same kind of organism living in the same place.
*Example:* All the deer in a forest.

Level 3: Community
→ All the different populations (different species) living together in one area.
*Example:* Deer, trees, birds, insects, and fungi all living in the same forest.

Level 4: Ecosystem
→ The community PLUS the non-living parts (like soil, water, air, sunlight).
*Example:* The forest with its animals, plants, rocks, rivers, and weather.

Level 5: Biosphere
→ All ecosystems on Earth — everything alive and where it lives.
*Example:* All oceans, forests, deserts, cities — everywhere life exists on Earth.

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Now let’s write that into the table:

| Level | Description | Example |
|-------------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 1 Organism | One individual living thing | A squirrel |
| 2 Population| Group of same species in one area | All squirrels in a park |
| 3 Community | Different populations living together | Squirrels, trees, birds, bugs in the park |
| 4 Ecosystem | Community + non-living things (soil, water, etc.)| Park with animals, plants, dirt, rain |
| 5 Biosphere | All ecosystems on Earth | Entire planet Earth |

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Step 2: Diagram Question

The diagram shows nested ovals — smallest inside largest. That means we start from the smallest unit and build up.

From smallest to largest:
- Organism → Population → Community → Ecosystem → Biosphere

So label the ovals from innermost to outermost:

Innermost oval: Organism
Next: Population
Next: Community
Next: Ecosystem
Outermost: Biosphere

*(Note: Since you can’t see my drawing here, just imagine writing those labels going outward from center.)*

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Step 3: Answer the Questions Below

> Main Idea: An ecosystem includes both abiotic and biotic factors. Producers provide energy for other organisms in an ecosystem. Use the words below to complete the sentences.

Word bank:
ecosystem, energy, producers, eating, abiotic, living, consumers, decomposers, nonliving, autotrophs, heterotrophs, food chain, photosynthesis, scavengers

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Question 6:
“All ecosystems are made up of ______ and ______ components.”

→ Remember: “biotic” = living, “abiotic” = nonliving. But those words aren’t in the word bank? Wait — look again!

Actually, the word bank has: living and nonliving — which mean the same as biotic/abiotic.

✔ So:
All ecosystems are made up of _living_ and _nonliving_ components.

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Question 7:
“______ factors are living things, such as ______ or ______.”

→ Living things = biotic factors. From word bank: “living” is already used, but we can use “producers”, “consumers”, etc.

But the sentence says “such as ___ or ___” — so pick two types of living things.

Best fit:
_Biotic_ factors are living things, such as _producers_ or _consumers_.

Wait — “biotic” isn’t in the word bank! Oh no… Let’s check again.

Word bank: ecosystem, energy, producers, eating, abiotic, living, consumers, decomposers, nonliving, autotrophs, heterotrophs, food chain, photosynthesis, scavengers

Hmm… “abiotic” IS there — and “living” is there.

Maybe they want us to say:

“_Living_ factors are living things, such as _producers_ or _consumers_.”

That works — even though “living factors” is redundant, it matches the word bank.

Alternatively, maybe they meant “Biotic” but since it’s not listed, perhaps skip and come back.

Wait — actually, looking at Q8, it uses “abiotic”, so likely Q7 should be “biotic” — but it’s not in the list. Maybe typo? Or perhaps we’re supposed to infer.

Hold on — let’s read carefully.

Actually, in many curricula, they teach:

- Biotic = living
- Abiotic = nonliving

And the word bank has “abiotic” and “living” and “nonliving”.

Perhaps for Q7, they expect:

“_Biotic_ factors...” — but since “biotic” isn’t in the word bank, maybe this is a trick?

Wait — look at the instruction: “Use the words below to complete the sentences.”

So we MUST use only words from the list.

List does NOT have “biotic”. It HAS “abiotic”, “living”, “nonliving”.

So perhaps Q7 is meant to be filled with “Living” as the first blank? Even if it sounds odd.

Let me try:

“_Living_ factors are living things, such as _producers_ or _consumers_.”

Yes — that uses words from the list and makes sense.

✔ So:
_Living_ factors are living things, such as _producers_ or _consumers_.

(You could also say “decomposers” instead of consumers — either is fine.)

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Question 8:
“______ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, ______, or ______.”

→ We know “abiotic” means nonliving — and “abiotic” IS in the word bank.

Then examples: wind is given — what else? Sunlight, water, temperature, soil...

From word bank: do we have any? “Energy”? Not really. “Photosynthesis”? No. Hmm.

Wait — maybe we can use general terms? But must use word bank.

Actually, the word bank doesn’t have specific abiotic examples except maybe “energy”? But energy isn’t a thing like wind.

This might be a flaw — but let’s think.

Perhaps they accept “sunlight” or “water” even if not in word bank? But instructions say “use the words below”.

Wait — re-read: “Use the words below to complete the sentences.” — doesn’t say ONLY those words, but implies to choose from them.

But none of the remaining words fit well as examples of abiotic factors.

Unless… “energy”? Like solar energy? Stretching it.

Maybe “temperature”? Not in list.

I think there might be a mistake — but let’s proceed logically.

Standard answer would be:

_Abiotic_ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, _sunlight_, or _water_.

But since “sunlight” and “water” aren’t in word bank, perhaps we leave blanks? No.

Wait — look again at word bank: “ecosystem”, “energy”, “producers”, “eating”, “abiotic”, “living”, “consumers”, “decomposers”, “nonliving”, “autotrophs”, “heterotrophs”, “food chain”, “photosynthesis”, “scavengers”

None of these are good examples of abiotic factors except maybe “energy” — but energy is abstract.

Perhaps the question allows common knowledge examples? I think for school level, they might expect:

✔ _Abiotic_ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, _sunlight_, or _soil_.

Even if not in word bank — because otherwise impossible.

But to follow rules strictly — maybe “energy” is acceptable? Unlikely.

Another idea: perhaps “nonliving” is used in Q6, and “abiotic” in Q8, and for examples, they don’t require word bank? The instruction says “use the words below to complete the sentences” — meaning for the blanks that need vocabulary, not necessarily every blank.

In Q8, first blank is clearly “abiotic” — then examples can be standard.

I’ll go with:

_Abiotic_ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, _sunlight_, or _temperature_.

But to match word bank better — wait, “photosynthesis” is a process, not a factor.

I think it's safe to assume examples can be outside word bank if needed.

Final decision:

✔ _Abiotic_ factors are nonliving things, such as wind, _sunlight_, or _water_.

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Question 9:
“Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food. They get their energy from ______.”

→ Autotrophs = producers. They make food via photosynthesis — using sunlight.

From word bank: “photosynthesis” is there.

Also “energy” — but more precise is “photosynthesis” or “sunlight”.

Sentence says “get their energy from ______” — so source.

Typically: from the sun / sunlight.

But “sunlight” not in word bank. “Photosynthesis” is the process, not the source.

“Energy” is too vague.

Wait — autotrophs get energy from the sun — but how? Through photosynthesis.

Some might say “from light” or “from the sun”.

But word bank has “photosynthesis” — which is correct in context.

Actually, the energy comes from the sun, and they use photosynthesis to convert it.

But the blank is “from ______” — so probably “the sun” — not in list.

Hmm.

Look: word bank has “energy” — but that’s circular.

Perhaps “light”? Not there.

Another thought: some autotrophs use chemosynthesis — but that’s advanced.

For school level, expected answer is “sunlight” or “the sun”.

Since not in word bank, maybe “photosynthesis” is accepted as the method.

But grammatically: “get their energy from photosynthesis” — that’s okay, because photosynthesis captures energy.

✔ So:
They get their energy from _photosynthesis_.

Or better: “from _the sun_” — but not in list.

Wait — word bank has “energy” — no.

I think “photosynthesis” is the best available choice.

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Question 10:
“Heterotrophs cannot make their own food. The organisms are also called ______.”

→ Heterotrophs = consumers. They eat others.

From word bank: “consumers” is there.

✔ So:
The organisms are also called _consumers_.

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Question 11:
“______ are organisms that get their energy by ______ other organisms. These organisms are also called ______.”

First blank: who gets energy by eating others? Consumers — or specifically, heterotrophs, but we already used that.

From word bank: “consumers”, “scavengers”, “decomposers” — all are types of heterotrophs.

But the sentence seems to describe general consumers.

Second blank: “by ______ other organisms” — verb. Word bank has “eating”.

Third blank: “also called ______” — again, consumers? But that would repeat.

Wait — perhaps:

“_Consumers_ are organisms that get their energy by _eating_ other organisms. These organisms are also called _heterotrophs_.”

But “heterotrophs” is in word bank — yes!

And “eating” is in word bank.

Perfect.

✔ So:
_Consumers_ are organisms that get their energy by _eating_ other organisms. These organisms are also called _heterotrophs_.

(Note: You could swap — say “Heterotrophs... also called consumers” — but the sentence starts with blank, and “consumers” fits better as subject.)

Actually, the previous question said heterotrophs are called consumers — so here it might be reverse.

But both are correct.

To avoid repetition, perhaps:

“_Heterotrophs_ are organisms that get their energy by _eating_ other organisms. These organisms are also called _consumers_.”

Yes — that flows better, since Q10 introduced heterotrophs.

Q10: “Heterotrophs ... also called consumers.”

So Q11: starting with “Heterotrophs” again might be redundant.

But the sentence structure suggests a new term.

Looking at word bank, “scavengers” and “decomposers” are specific types.

But the description “get energy by eating other organisms” applies to all consumers/heterotrophs.

I think safest is:

✔ _Consumers_ are organisms that get their energy by _eating_ other organisms. These organisms are also called _heterotrophs_.

Even if slightly repetitive, it’s accurate.

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Now let’s compile all answers.

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## Final Answers:

Table:

| Level | Description | Example |
|-------------|--------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 1 Organism | One individual living thing | A squirrel |
| 2 Population| Group of same species in one area | All squirrels in a park |
| 3 Community | Different populations living together | Squirrels, trees, birds, bugs in the park |
| 4 Ecosystem | Community + non-living things (soil, water, etc.)| Park with animals, plants, dirt, rain |
| 5 Biosphere | All ecosystems on Earth | Entire planet Earth |

Diagram Labels (inner to outer):

1. Organism
2. Population
3. Community
4. Ecosystem
5. Biosphere

Sentence Completions:

6. All ecosystems are made up of living and nonliving components.
7. Living factors are living things, such as producers or consumers.
8. Abiotic factors are nonliving things, such as wind, sunlight, or water. *(Note: sunlight and water not in word bank but necessary; if strict, use "energy" but less accurate)*
9. Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food. They get their energy from photosynthesis.
10. Heterotrophs cannot make their own food. The organisms are also called consumers.
11. Consumers are organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms. These organisms are also called heterotrophs.

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Final Answer:
See completed table, diagram labels, and sentence answers above.