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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Habitats, biomes & food chains
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What term describes the non-living physical factors of an ecosystem (such as sunlight, temperature, water and soil): abiotic factors or biotic factors?
What term describes the no… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
2. Which northern forest biome is dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees such as spruce, fir and pine: boreal forest (taiga) or coral atoll?
Which northern forest biom… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
3. Which warm, shallow marine habitat is built by tiny cnidarian polyps secreting calcium carbonate: a coral reef or a kelp forest?
Which warm, shallow marine… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
4. What is the role of fungi and bacteria that break down dead leaves and logs into soil nutrients: decomposers or apex predators?
What is the role of fungi … · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
5. How does a polar bear’s thick white coat help it survive in the Arctic: camouflage and insulation, or photosynthesis?
How does a polar bear’s th… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
6. In a food chain, what do we call green plants and algae that make their own food using sunlight: producers or decomposers?
In a food chain, what do w… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
7. What microscopic algae live inside reef-building coral tissues and supply them with energy through photosynthesis: zooxanthellae or mosses?
What microscopic algae liv… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
8. Why do desert foxes (such as the fennec fox) have large ears with many blood vessels: to radiate excess body heat and listen for prey, or to swim?
9. Which coastal trees grow in tropical intertidal salt water using prop roots and salt-filtering tissues: mangroves or pines?
Which coastal trees grow i… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
10. What do we call a seasonal movement of animals (such as arctic terns or whales) from one region to another for feeding or breeding: migration or hibernation?
What do we call a seasonal… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
11. In the food chain “Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake”, which organism is the primary consumer (herbivore)?
In the food chain “Grass →… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
12. What happens to energy as it moves up each trophic level in a food chain: most is lost as heat, or it doubles at every step?
What happens to energy as … · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Habitats, biomes & food chains
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What term describes the non-living physical factors of an ecosystem (such as sunlight, temperature, water and soil): abiotic factors or biotic factors?
Abiotic factors
Abiotic factors are the non-living chemical and physical components of an environment.
2. Which northern forest biome is dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees such as spruce, fir and pine: boreal forest (taiga) or coral atoll?
Boreal forest (taiga)
The taiga (boreal forest) spans cold subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia.
3. Which warm, shallow marine habitat is built by tiny cnidarian polyps secreting calcium carbonate: a coral reef or a kelp forest?
Coral reef
Coral polyps build calcium carbonate skeletons that form coral reefs.
4. What is the role of fungi and bacteria that break down dead leaves and logs into soil nutrients: decomposers or apex predators?
Decomposers
Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
5. How does a polar bear’s thick white coat help it survive in the Arctic: camouflage and insulation, or photosynthesis?
Camouflage and insulation
Thick fur and blubber trap body heat while white fur blends with snow and ice.
6. In a food chain, what do we call green plants and algae that make their own food using sunlight: producers or decomposers?
Producers
Producers (autotrophs) synthesise organic food from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
7. What microscopic algae live inside reef-building coral tissues and supply them with energy through photosynthesis: zooxanthellae or mosses?
Zooxanthellae
Symbiotic zooxanthellae algae provide corals with photosynthetic nutrients.
8. Why do desert foxes (such as the fennec fox) have large ears with many blood vessels: to radiate excess body heat and listen for prey, or to swim?
To radiate excess body heat and listen for prey
Large ears act as thermal radiators in hot desert environments.
9. Which coastal trees grow in tropical intertidal salt water using prop roots and salt-filtering tissues: mangroves or pines?
Mangroves
Mangroves stabilise coastlines and serve as nurseries for reef fish.
10. What do we call a seasonal movement of animals (such as arctic terns or whales) from one region to another for feeding or breeding: migration or hibernation?
Migration
Migration is the regular seasonal journey between habitats.
11. In the food chain “Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake”, which organism is the primary consumer (herbivore)?
Grasshopper
The grasshopper eats the producer (grass), making it the primary consumer.
12. What happens to energy as it moves up each trophic level in a food chain: most is lost as heat, or it doubles at every step?
Most is lost as heat
Only about 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level; the rest is used in respiration and lost as heat.
12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Habitats, biomes & food chains
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What term describes the non-living physical factors of an ecosystem (such as sunlight, temperature, water and soil): abiotic factors or biotic factors?
What term describes the no… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
2. Which northern forest biome is dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees such as spruce, fir and pine: boreal forest (taiga) or coral atoll?
Which northern forest biom… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
3. Which warm, shallow marine habitat is built by tiny cnidarian polyps secreting calcium carbonate: a coral reef or a kelp forest?
Which warm, shallow marine… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
4. What is the role of fungi and bacteria that break down dead leaves and logs into soil nutrients: decomposers or apex predators?
What is the role of fungi … · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
5. How does a polar bear’s thick white coat help it survive in the Arctic: camouflage and insulation, or photosynthesis?
How does a polar bear’s th… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
6. In a food chain, what do we call green plants and algae that make their own food using sunlight: producers or decomposers?
In a food chain, what do w… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
7. What microscopic algae live inside reef-building coral tissues and supply them with energy through photosynthesis: zooxanthellae or mosses?
What microscopic algae liv… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
8. Why do desert foxes (such as the fennec fox) have large ears with many blood vessels: to radiate excess body heat and listen for prey, or to swim?
9. Which coastal trees grow in tropical intertidal salt water using prop roots and salt-filtering tissues: mangroves or pines?
Which coastal trees grow i… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
10. What do we call a seasonal movement of animals (such as arctic terns or whales) from one region to another for feeding or breeding: migration or hibernation?
What do we call a seasonal… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
11. In the food chain “Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake”, which organism is the primary consumer (herbivore)?
In the food chain “Grass →… · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
12. What happens to energy as it moves up each trophic level in a food chain: most is lost as heat, or it doubles at every step?
What happens to energy as … · Habitats, biomes & food ch…
12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Habitats, biomes & food chains
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What term describes the non-living physical factors of an ecosystem (such as sunlight, temperature, water and soil): abiotic factors or biotic factors?
Abiotic factors
Abiotic factors are the non-living chemical and physical components of an environment.
2. Which northern forest biome is dominated by cone-bearing evergreen trees such as spruce, fir and pine: boreal forest (taiga) or coral atoll?
Boreal forest (taiga)
The taiga (boreal forest) spans cold subarctic regions of North America and Eurasia.
3. Which warm, shallow marine habitat is built by tiny cnidarian polyps secreting calcium carbonate: a coral reef or a kelp forest?
Coral reef
Coral polyps build calcium carbonate skeletons that form coral reefs.
4. What is the role of fungi and bacteria that break down dead leaves and logs into soil nutrients: decomposers or apex predators?
Decomposers
Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.
5. How does a polar bear’s thick white coat help it survive in the Arctic: camouflage and insulation, or photosynthesis?
Camouflage and insulation
Thick fur and blubber trap body heat while white fur blends with snow and ice.
6. In a food chain, what do we call green plants and algae that make their own food using sunlight: producers or decomposers?
Producers
Producers (autotrophs) synthesise organic food from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
7. What microscopic algae live inside reef-building coral tissues and supply them with energy through photosynthesis: zooxanthellae or mosses?
Zooxanthellae
Symbiotic zooxanthellae algae provide corals with photosynthetic nutrients.
8. Why do desert foxes (such as the fennec fox) have large ears with many blood vessels: to radiate excess body heat and listen for prey, or to swim?
To radiate excess body heat and listen for prey
Large ears act as thermal radiators in hot desert environments.
9. Which coastal trees grow in tropical intertidal salt water using prop roots and salt-filtering tissues: mangroves or pines?
Mangroves
Mangroves stabilise coastlines and serve as nurseries for reef fish.
10. What do we call a seasonal movement of animals (such as arctic terns or whales) from one region to another for feeding or breeding: migration or hibernation?
Migration
Migration is the regular seasonal journey between habitats.
11. In the food chain “Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake”, which organism is the primary consumer (herbivore)?
Grasshopper
The grasshopper eats the producer (grass), making it the primary consumer.
12. What happens to energy as it moves up each trophic level in a food chain: most is lost as heat, or it doubles at every step?
Most is lost as heat
Only about 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level; the rest is used in respiration and lost as heat.
12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification