Indirect Effects 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 nonliving factors.

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Example: The image shows an ecosystem with animals, plants, and water interacting in a natural environment.

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Population Noun

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[pop-yuh-ley-shuhn]

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Population

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A group of individuals of the same species that live and interbreed within a specific geographic area.

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Example: A group of people around the Earth illustrates a population living in a geographic area.

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Consumer Population Noun

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[kuhn-soo-mer pop-yuh-ley-shuhn]

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Consumer Population

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A population of organisms that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms in an ecosystem to survive.

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Example: The pyramid shows how different organisms consume others for energy, illustrating consumer populations in an ecosystem.

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Resource Population Noun

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[ree-sawrs pop-yuh-ley-shuhn]

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Resource Population

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A population of organisms that is consumed by other organisms, serving as a source of food and energy.

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Example: Fish in a pond are a resource population, providing food for larger animals.

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Predation Noun

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[pre-dey-shuhn]

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Predation

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A biological interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts, kills, and eats another organism, its prey.

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Example: A fox catching a rabbit shows predation, where the predator hunts and eats its prey.

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Mutualism Noun

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[myoo-choo-uh-liz-uhm]

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Mutualism

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A relationship between two different species in which both organisms benefit from their interaction with each other.

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Example: Ants protect aphids and get food in return, showing mutualism.

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Energy Noun

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[en-er-jee]

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Energy

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The capacity to cause change, which flows through an ecosystem from one organism to another when consumed.

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Example: Energy from the sun flows through a food chain from plants to animals.

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Energy Storage Molecule Noun

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[en-er-jee stawr-ij mol-i-kyool]

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Energy Storage Molecule

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A molecule that organisms use to store chemical energy, which can be released to fuel life processes.

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Example: Glucose stores energy, which is released as ATP during respiration to fuel life processes.

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Producer Noun

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[pruh-doo-ser]

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Producer

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An organism that creates its own food, typically through photosynthesis, forming the base of a food web.

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Example: A leaf uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen, showing how producers make their own food.

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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 matter, returning essential nutrients back into the ecosystem for reuse.

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