Ecology and Biological Processes

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What is photosynthesis?

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The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce carbohydrates and oxygen.

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What is a producer?

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An organism that can make organic molecules from inorganic molecules; a photosynthetic or chemosynthetic autotroph that serves as the basic food source in an ecosystem. Another name for a producer is autotroph.

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What is a consumer?

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An organism that eats other organisms or organic matter instead of producing its own nutrients or obtaining nutrients from inorganic substances. Another name for a consumer is heterotroph.

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What are herbivores?

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Consumers that eat only plants.

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What are carnivores?

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Consumers that eat only other animals.

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What are omnivores?

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Organisms that get their energy by eating plants and animals.

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What are decomposers?

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An organism that feeds by breaking down organic matter from dead organisms; examples include bacteria and fungi.

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What is cellular respiration?

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The process by which cells produce energy from carbohydrates; atmospheric oxygen combines with glucose to form water and carbon dioxide.

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What is a food chain?

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The pathway of energy transfer through various stages as a result of the feeding patterns of a series of organisms.

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What is a food web?

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A diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.