Ecosystems Vocabulary

A substance, usually a mineral, needed for the healthy growth of living things

• cycle

• carnivore

• microbe

• nutrient

A living organism that breaks down dead organisms into smaller parts that can be reused by other living things

• decomposer

• producer

• ectotherm

• community

A consumer that eats plants and animals

• herbivore

• carnivore

• producer

• omnivore

The nonliving parts of an ecosystem

• endotherm

• ectotherm

• biotic

• abiotic

The living parts of an ecosystem

• abiotic

• biotic

• endotherm

• ectotherm

 To move through a series of steps that repeat

• cycle

• consumer

• microbe

• nutrient

An animal that eats only plants 

• omnivore

• carnivore

• herbivore

• decomposer

An animal that eats only animals 

• omnivore

• herbivore

• carnivore

• decomposer

 A model of the transfer of energy within a set of interconnected food chains

• food chain

• abiotic

• food web

• producer

All food chains start with energy from the ____.

• wind

• water

• sun

• soil