Ecosystems Vocabulary Part 2: LS 10.3

the group of organisms within an ecosystem which occupy the same level in a food chain

• decomposer

• food web

• secondary consumer

• trophic levels

organisms that make their own food; also known as autotrophs

• producer

• primary consumer

• secondary consumer

• tertiary consumer

an organism that feeds on primary producers; usually herbivores

• producer

• primary consumer

• secondary consumer

• decomposer

organisms that eat primary consumers for energy; can either be carnivores or omnivores

• decomposer

• secondary consumer

• producer

• tertiary consumer

an animal that obtains its nutrition by eating primary consumers and secondary consumers; usually carnivores, but sometimes omnivores

• decomposer

• producer

• top predator

• tertiary consumer

at the top/apex of a food chain, with no natural predators

• decomposer

• producer

• top predator

• tertiary consumer

organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms and wastes

• decomposer

• primary consumer

• producer

• top predator

a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another

• energy pyramid

• food chain

• food web

• trophic levels

consist of many interconnected food chains and are more realistic representation of consumption relationships in ecosystems

• energy pyramid

• food chain

• food web

• trophic levels

a model that shows the flow of energy from one trophic, or feeding, level to the next in an ecosystem

• energy pyramid

• food chain

• food web

• trophic levels