Food Chain

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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: This diagram incorrectly shows a business or social system. A biological ecosystem involves living organisms (like plants and animals) and their non-living environment.

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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 by which plants use light energy to make sugar molecules from carbon dioxide and water.

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Example: A plant uses energy from sunlight, water from the soil, and carbon dioxide from the air to create its own food (glucose) and release oxygen.

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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 can make its own food from inorganic molecules, forming the base of a food chain.

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Example: This diagram shows a producer, like the grass, as the first link in a food chain, providing energy to the primary consumer.

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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 gets its energy by eating other organisms or organic matter instead of producing its own nutrients.

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Example: This diagram shows that consumers are organisms that get energy by eating other living things, like the rabbit eating grass or the fox eating the rabbit.

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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 synthesizes its own organic nutrients from inorganic materials, effectively making its own food.

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Example: An autotroph, like this plant, creates its own food (glucose) by using energy from sunlight, water from the soil, and carbon dioxide from the air.

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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 obtains energy and nutrients by consuming other plants or animals for nourishment.

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Example: This diagram shows that heterotrophs are organisms that get energy by eating other living things, including carnivores (lion), herbivores (zebra), omnivores (boar), and decomposers (worms).

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Herbivore Noun

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[hur-buh-vohr]

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Herbivore

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A type of consumer that obtains its energy and nutrients by eating only plants.

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Example: This image defines herbivores as animals that eat plants and provides multiple examples, such as a cow, zebra, and sheep, to illustrate the concept.

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Carnivore Noun

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[kahr-nuh-vohr]

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Carnivore

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A type of consumer that obtains its energy and nutrients by eating only other animals.

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Example: This image displays a collection of animals, such as lions, sharks, and eagles, to provide multiple examples of the 'carnivore' category.

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Omnivore Noun

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[om-nuh-vohr]

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Omnivore

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A type of consumer that obtains its energy and nutrients by eating both plants and animals.

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Example: This Venn diagram shows that omnivores are organisms that eat both plants (like herbivores) and meat (like carnivores), as shown in the overlapping section.

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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, or decomposes, organic material such as the remains of dead organisms.

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Example: This image shows four key types of decomposers—fungi, bacteria, insects, and earthworms—which are organisms that break down dead organic material.