Term | Definition |
Ecosystem | all of the abiotic factors and biotic factors interacting in a specific area |
Abiotic Factors | all of the non-living factors
Examples: rocks, water, temperature |
Biotic Factors | all of the living or once alive factors
Examples: plants, animals, fungus |
Producer | an organism that collects sunlight and creates its own food through photosynthesis Example: cactus |
Consumer | an organism that gets energy from eating other organisms
Example: mountain lion |
Herbivore | an organism that eats only plants
Example: desert tortoise |
Carnivore | an organism that eats only other animals
Example: rattlesnake |
Omnivore | an organism that eats both plants and animals
Example: black bear |
Scavenger | an organism that eats already dead animals
Example: vultures |
Decomposer | an organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead plants and animals
Example: Bacteria |
Food Chain | an diagram that shows how energy flows from one producer through a single line of consumers |
Primary Consumer | first consumer in the food chain |
Secondary Consumer | second consumer in the food chain |
Tertiary Consumer | last consumer in the food chain, top predator |
Food Web | a diagram that shows how energy passes from many organisms, producers and consumers |
Energy Pyramid | a diagram that shows the amount of energy that passes to each level of the food chain |
3 states of matter | solid, liquid, and gas |
Water Cycle | a diagram that shows how water cycles on our planet |
Precipitation | when water falls from the sky
examples: rain, snow, sleet, hail |
Evaporation | when water changes to gas |
Condensation | when water vapor becomes liquid
*how clouds are made |
Transpiration | when water evaporates from plant leaves |
Carbon Cycle | a diagram that shows how carbon cycles on our planet |
Respiration | when organisms take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide gas |
Combustion | when industries take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide gas |
Photosynthesis | when plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen gas |
Decomposition | when decomposers take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide when they break down dead organisms |
Biome | large areas around the world that have the same temperatures and plants
Examples: Desert, Tundra, Rainforest |
Community | many different populations in one area
example: owls, bluebirds, and squirrels living in the same tree |
Population | a group of organisms of the same species or kind
example: group of killer whales |
Organism | one living thing |
Habitat | an area that supplies an organism with everything it needs such as shelter, food, water, and a niche |
Niche | a job or role an organism has in its environment
example: bacteria bread down dead material |
Predator | an animal that hunts organisms |
Prey | an animal hunted by a predator |
Biodiversity | the amount of different kinds of organisms in an ecosystem
high biodiversity=stable ecosystem |
Limiting Factors | any factor that limits the growth of a population of organisms |
Carrying Capacity | the number of organisms an ecosystem can support |
Habitat Loss | when habitat is destroyed by natural reasons or people |
Invasive species | organisms that are not native to the ecosystem |
Natural Resources | resources that are taken from nature, not man-made
Examples: minerals, water, sunlight, wind, heat |