Flow of Energy in Ecosystems

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Ecosystem Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm]

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Ecosystem

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A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, including both living and non-living components.

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Example: The image shows an aquatic ecosystem with fish, plants, and water, demonstrating interactions between living and non-living components.

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Autotroph Noun

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[aw-toh-trohf]

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Autotroph

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An organism that can produce its own food, usually through photosynthesis, and is the foundation of a food chain.

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Example: A plant uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen, demonstrating how autotrophs create their own food.

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Heterotroph Noun

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[het-er-uh-trohf]

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Heterotroph

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An organism that cannot manufacture its own food and obtains energy by consuming other living organisms for sustenance.

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Example: Different animals like lions and zebras are heterotrophs, consuming other organisms for energy.

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Chemotroph Noun

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[kee-moh-trohf]

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Chemotroph

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An organism that derives energy from the oxidation of inorganic chemical compounds rather than from sunlight.

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Example: Chemotrophs use chemicals from hydrothermal vents to produce energy, shown by arrows and labels.

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Consumer Noun

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[kuhn-soo-mer]

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Consumer

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An organism, also known as a heterotroph, that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms in a food chain.

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Example: A rabbit is a consumer that eats grass to gain energy.

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Herbivore Noun

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[hur-buh-vohr]

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Herbivore

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A consumer that feeds exclusively on plants, occupying the primary consumer trophic level in most ecosystems.

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Example: A deer in a forest eating plants shows how herbivores consume plants, acting as primary consumers in ecosystems.

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Omnivore Noun

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[om-nuh-vohr]

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Omnivore

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A consumer that obtains energy and nutrients by eating a diet of both plants and other animals.

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Example: A bear eating fish and berries shows it is an omnivore, consuming both plants and animals.

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Carnivore Noun

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[kahr-nuh-vohr]

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Carnivore

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A consumer that gets its energy and nutrients by eating a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue.

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Example: This image shows different carnivores like lions and tigers, illustrating animals that eat other animals.

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Scavenger Noun

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[skav-in-jer]

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Scavenger

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An animal that consumes carrion, which is the decaying flesh of dead animals not killed by the scavenger.

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Example: A vulture feeding on carrion demonstrates how scavengers consume dead animals in ecosystems.

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Decomposer Noun

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[dee-kuhm-poh-zer]

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Decomposer

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An organism that breaks down dead organic material, returning essential nutrients back into the ecosystem for producers.

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Example: Decomposers like fungi and insects break down dead matter, returning nutrients to the soil.