Ecosystem Energy Transfers

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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, air) in a specific area.

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What is energy transfer in an ecosystem?

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Energy transfer in an ecosystem refers to the movement of energy through food chains and food webs, from producers to consumers and decomposers.

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What is a producer?

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A producer is an organism that can make its own food using sunlight or chemical energy, such as plants and algae.

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What is a consumer?

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A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms (plants or animals) for energy.

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What is a decomposer?

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A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead or decaying organic material, returning nutrients to the soil, such as fungi and bacteria.

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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 that shows all the feeding relationships in an ecosystem.

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What do the arrows in a food chain represent?

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The arrows in a food chain represent the direction of energy flow from one organism to another.

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What is a primary consumer?

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A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers; they are usually herbivores.

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What is a secondary consumer?

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A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers; they can be carnivores or omnivores.