STAAR 5th grade Science Ecosystem Vocabulary

an inherited trait or learned behavior that helps an organism survive in its surroundings

• camouflaged

• adaptation

• venomous

• webbed feet

the path of food energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem

• food chain

• food web

• food map

• food charm

An organism that hunts and feeds on another organism.

• Prey

• Carnivore

• Consumer

• Predator

A connection of food chains with many food energy paths in an ecosystem.

• food web

• food chain

• food lace

• food string

an increase in the number of individuals of a given species over what its ecosystem can sustain, often with both direct and indirect effets on other organisms in he ecosystem

• pollution

• populaiton

• over and under

• overpopulation

A community of living and non living things in their natural environment.

• population

• ecosystem

• habitat

• jungle

An animal that is hunted as food

• pray

• panther

• prey

• phantom

an organism that gets energy by using dead organisms, nonliving materials or waste as food

• producer

• consumer

• decomposer

• decay

a gas produced by plants during photosynthesis that animals use for respiration

• oxygen

• carbon dioxide

• respiration

• predator

an organism that uses sunlight to make its own food for energy

• producer

• consumer

• decomposer

• photosynthesis