Principles of Ecology

Front

What is a detritivore?

Back

An organism that eats fragments of dead matter and returns nutrients to the soil, air, and water.

Front

What does 'cycling of matter' mean?

Back

The continuous processes of the transformation and migration of matter in nature.

Front

How do detritivores benefit the environment?

Back

They rid waste and dead matter, helping to recycle nutrients.

Front

What is an omnivore?

Back

An organism that eats both plants and animals.

Front

What type of organism is a dog?

Back

A carnivore, as it primarily eats meat.

Front

What is an autotroph?

Back

An organism that produces its own food, typically through photosynthesis.

Front

Define herbivore.

Back

An organism that primarily eats plants.

Front

What role do producers play in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers, like plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Front

What is a carnivore?

Back

An organism that primarily eats other animals.

Front

Explain the term 'food chain.'

Back

A linear sequence of organisms where nutrients and energy are transferred from one to another.