Energy in Ecosystems — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. An animal that hunts other animals for food is called a predator.
Predators are consumers that catch and eat prey in Grade 5 food webs.
2. An animal that is hunted and eaten is called prey.
Prey animals provide energy to predators when they are eaten in an ecosystem.
3. Foxes often hunt rabbits in fields and forests.
Rabbits are common prey for foxes, showing a Grade 5 predator-prey link.
4. Owls hunt at night and often catch small mice.
Owls and mice form a classic nighttime predator-prey pair in Grade 5 ecosystems.
5. When prey numbers go up, predator numbers usually also go up.
Plenty of prey lets predator populations grow until balance returns in Grade 5 science.
6. When predators eat too many prey, the prey population goes down.
Heavy hunting reduces prey numbers, which then causes predator numbers to drop too.
7. A balanced predator-prey ecosystem is said to be in equilibrium.
Equilibrium describes when populations rise and fall around a steady average in Grade 5 ecosystems.
8. Producers like grass start the food chain that feeds rabbits and mice.
Food chains begin with producers and pass energy through prey to predators in Grade 5 science.
9. Many connected food chains in one ecosystem form a food web.
Food webs show how multiple predator-prey links connect across an entire Grade 5 ecosystem.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
Fox
→ Predator that hunts rabbits in fields
Predator that hunts rabbits in fields
Rabbit
→ Prey that eats grass and clover
Prey that eats grass and clover
Owl
→ Night predator with sharp talons
Night predator with sharp talons
Mouse
→ Small rodent eaten by owls
Small rodent eaten by owls
Each animal fills a specific predator or prey role that keeps the food web in equilibrium.