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Energy Flow
Ecosystems
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| autotroph | an organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce its own food from inorganic compounds; also called producers |
| primary producers | the first producer of energy-rich compounds that are later used by other organisms; also called autotrophs |
| photosynthesis | the process used by plants and other autotrophs to capture light energy and use it to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-rich carbohydrates such as sugars and starches |
| chemosynthesis | the process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates |
| heterotroph | an organism that obtains food by consuming other living things; also called consumers |
| consumer | an organism that relies on other organisms for its energy and food supply; also called heterotrophs |
| detritus | small pieces of dead or decaying plant or animal remains |
| decomposers | eat dead animals and plants |
| herbivores | eat plants only |
| carnivores | eat animals only |
| omnivores | eat both plants and animals |
| food chain | a series of organisms in which energy is transferred from one organism to another by being consumed/eaten |
| food web | a network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem |
| phytoplankton | photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean |
| ecology | the study of interactions between organisms and their environment |
| ecosystem | all of the organisms that live in a place together with their nonliving environment |
| trophic level | each step in a food chain or food web |
| ecological pyramid | an illustration of the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or a food web |
| biomass | the total mass of living tissue within a trophic level |
| biogeochemical cycle | the process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another |
| biosphere | the part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and the atmosphere |
| nutrient | a chemical substance that an organism needs to sustain life |
| biome | a group of ecosystems that share a similar climate and typical organisms |
| biotic factor | any living part of the environment |
| abiotic factor | any nonliving part of the environment |
Created by:
traceeharts
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