Ecology and Carbohydrates Terms

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10% Rule

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A principle in ecology that states only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.

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Abiotic factor

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Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.

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Autotroph

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An organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple substances present in its surroundings, generally using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions.

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Biomass pyramid

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A graphical representation showing the relative biomass at each trophic level in an ecosystem; biomass typically decreases moving up the pyramid.

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Biotic factor

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A living component that affects another organism or shapes the ecosystem.

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Carbohydrate

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A large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues, including sugars, starch, and cellulose.

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Cellulose

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A complex carbohydrate that constitutes the main component of the cell wall in most plants.

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Chitin

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A long-chain polymer of a glucose derivative, found in many places throughout the natural world, including the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.

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Commensalism

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A class of relationships between two organisms where one organism benefits from the other without affecting it.

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Competition

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An interaction between organisms or species in which both the organisms or species are harmed.