Ecosystems Vocabulary

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Autotroph

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An organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce its own food from inorganic compounds.

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Heterotroph

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An organism that obtains food by consuming other living things.

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Herbivore

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A consumer that eats plant leaves, roots, seeds, and fruit.

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Consumer

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A term that means the same thing as heterotroph; an organism that consumes other organisms for energy.

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Producer

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A term that means the same thing as autotroph; an organism that produces its own food.

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Carnivore

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A consumer that primarily eats other animals.

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Omnivore

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A consumer that eats both plants and animals.

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Decomposer

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An organism that breaks down dead or decaying organisms, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

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Trophic Level

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The position an organism occupies in a food chain, which determines its role in the flow of energy and nutrients.

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Photosynthesis

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The process by which autotrophs convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose.