Predation in Ecosystems
An educational worksheet for 7th-grade science students focusing on the concept of predation, predator-prey relationships, and their impact on ecosystems.
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Predation in Ecosystems
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Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will test your understanding of predation and its role in different ecosystems.
Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. This interaction is a fundamental part of food chains and plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems.
1. Which of the following best defines a predator?
An organism that produces its own food.
An organism that is eaten by another organism.
An organism that hunts and kills another organism for food.
An organism that breaks down dead organic matter.
2. What is the primary role of prey in a predator-prey relationship?
To hunt other animals.
To be a food source for predators.
To control the population of plants.
To decompose dead organisms.
3. The interaction between a lion and a zebra is an example of .
4. In a food chain, predators are typically located at higher levels.
5. A decrease in the prey population can lead to a in the predator population.
6. Predation always benefits the predator and harms the prey.
True
False
7. Predators help to maintain the health of an ecosystem by removing sick or weak individuals from the prey population.
True
False
8. Describe one adaptation that a predator might have to help it catch prey.
9. Describe one adaptation that a prey animal might have to help it avoid predators.
Match each term on the left with its definition on the right.
10. Predator
a. An organism that is hunted and eaten.
11. Prey
b. An organism that hunts and eats other organisms.
12. Ecosystem
c. A community of living organisms and their non-living environment.