Food Chains & Webs Flashcard

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A simple one-directional model that shows the sequence of feeding relationships and energy flow in an ecosystem.

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What is a food web?

Back

A complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem, showing how they are interconnected.

Front

Define producer in an ecosystem.

Back

Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and algae.

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What is a consumer?

Back

An organism that obtains energy by consuming other organisms; can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary consumers.

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What is an omnivore?

Back

An organism that eats both plants and animals.

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What is a herbivore?

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An organism that primarily eats plants.

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What is a carnivore?

Back

An organism that primarily eats other animals.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

An organism that eats primary consumers; typically carnivores or omnivores.

Front

What happens to the ecosystem if a primary consumer is removed?

Back

The population of producers may increase, while the populations of secondary consumers may decrease due to lack of food.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and helping to recycle energy.