Topic 11: Ecosystem

consumers

• Organisms that can make their own food using sunlight.

• Organisms that cannot make their own food and obtain energy by feeding on other organisms.

• Organisms that primarily feed on plants and produce oxygen.

• Organisms that decompose dead matter and recycle nutrients.

element

• A substance that cannot ordinarily be separated into simpler substances.

• A mixture of two or more substances.

• A compound formed by chemical reactions.

• A solution that can be easily separated.

energy pyramid

• A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one trophic level to another in a food web.

• A chart that illustrates the population of different species in an ecosystem.

• A representation of the physical structure of a food chain.

• A model that predicts the weather patterns in a specific area.

trophic level

• A type of ecosystem

• A feeding level in an ecosystem.

• A measure of biodiversity

• A stage in the water cycle

producers

• Organisms that use sunlight to make their own food through the process of photosynthesis.

• Organisms that consume other organisms for energy.

• Organisms that decompose dead matter.

• Organisms that rely on chemical reactions to produce energy.

decomposers

• Organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis.

• Organisms that get their energy by breaking down organic wastes or dead organisms, returning raw materials to the soil and water.

• Organisms that consume other living organisms for energy.

• Organisms that store energy in the form of fat.

nutrients

• Substances that an organism needs to carry out its life processes.

• Vitamins and minerals that are not essential for survival.

• Chemical compounds that are harmful to organisms.

• Energy sources that are only found in carbohydrates.