WLITC - Energy Flow in Ecosystems

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What is an ecosystem?

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An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microorganisms) interacting with their physical environment (soil, water, and climate).

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What are producers in an ecosystem?

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Producers are organisms that can make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and algae.

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What are consumers in an ecosystem?

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Consumers are organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other organisms. They can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores.

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, illustrating how different organisms are related through feeding relationships.

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What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

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Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers.

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What is mutualism?

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Mutualism is a type of symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from the interaction, such as oxpeckers and rhinoceroses.

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What is commensalism?

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Commensalism is a type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

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What is parasitism?

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Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of the other, such as a tick feeding on a mammal.

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What is an energy pyramid?

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An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.