Cellular Respiration 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 components.

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Example: This image shows a pond ecosystem, where living things (biotic factors) like fish and plants interact with non-living things (abiotic factors) like water and soil.

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Biotic Matter Noun

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[bahy-ot-ik mat-er]

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Biotic Matter

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The living or once-living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.

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Example: Mushrooms are living organisms (fungi), making them an example of biotic matter, which includes all living or once-living things in an ecosystem.

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Abiotic Matter Noun

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[ey-bahy-ot-ik mat-er]

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Abiotic Matter

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The nonliving chemical and physical parts of an ecosystem that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.

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Example: This chart shows examples of abiotic (non-living) factors like water, light, and soil, contrasting them with biotic (living) factors.

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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: This image shows a plant, a type of producer, using light energy, water, and carbon dioxide to make its own food through photosynthesis.

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Consumer Noun

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[kuhn-soo-mer]

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Consumer

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An organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms in a food chain.

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Example: This food chain shows that consumers, like the rabbit, fox, and eagle, get energy by eating other living things (plants or other animals).

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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.

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Example: These mushrooms are decomposers, organisms that get energy by breaking down dead material like this log and recycling its nutrients back into the ecosystem.

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Carbon Noun

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[kahr-buhn]

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Carbon

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A chemical element that is the fundamental building block of life and cycles between biotic and abiotic matter.

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Example: This image shows Carbon's entry from the periodic table, including its atomic number (6), chemical symbol (C), name, and atomic mass (12.011).

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Carbon Dioxide Noun

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[kahr-buhn dahy-ok-sahyd]

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Carbon Dioxide

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A molecule made of carbon and oxygen, used by producers for photosynthesis and released by all organisms during respiration.

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Example: This image shows a model of a carbon dioxide molecule (CO₂), which is made of one central carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms.

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Energy Storage Molecule Noun

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

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Energy Storage Molecule

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A carbon-based molecule, like glucose, that organisms produce and break down to release energy for cellular processes.

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Example: This diagram shows how glucose (a sugar) is converted into ATP, the main energy storage molecule that powers a cell's activities.

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Photosynthesis Noun

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[foh-toh-sin-thuh-sis]

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Photosynthesis

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The process where producers use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create their own food as energy storage molecules.

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Example: This diagram shows a plant using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make its food (glucose) and release oxygen into the air.