Ecology Vocabulary

Front

What is a population?

Back

A group of the same species living in the same area.

Front

What is a community?

Back

Different populations of organisms living in the same environment.

Front

What is the 10% rule?

Back

The 10% rule states that approximately 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next in a food chain.

Front

In an ecosystem, living things are called _ and non-living things are called _.

Back

Biotic and abiotic.

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

An organism that eats producers (plants) in a food chain.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

An organism that eats primary consumers in a food chain.

Front

What is a carnivore?

Back

An animal that primarily eats other animals.

Front

What is a herbivore?

Back

An animal that primarily eats plants.

Front

What is a decomposer?

Back

An organism that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Front

What is an autotroph?

Back

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