Flashcard - Ecology LO#2 (Community Relationships)

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What is a quaternary consumer?

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A quaternary consumer is an organism that is at the top of the food chain, feeding on tertiary consumers. In the given food chain, the eagle is a quaternary consumer.

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What is a carnivore?

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A carnivore is an organism that primarily eats other animals. In the context of the provided questions, all four organisms in the food chain are classified as carnivores.

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What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

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Decomposers, such as mushrooms, recycle nutrients from dead organisms back into the soil, making them available for plants and other organisms.

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What is an omnivore?

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An omnivore is an organism that consumes both plant matter and meat for nutrition. The gorilla mentioned in the questions is an example of an omnivore.

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What is an autotroph?

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An autotroph is an organism that produces its own food, typically through photosynthesis. In the food chain, the grass is an example of an autotroph.

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web that indicates the organism's role in the flow of energy and nutrients.

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What is the difference between a primary consumer and a secondary consumer?

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A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants), while a secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers.

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What is the significance of producers in an ecosystem?

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Producers, such as plants, are essential because they convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

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What is a heterotroph?

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A heterotroph is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must consume other organisms for energy.