Ecosystem Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is a food chain
A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.
What is a food web
A food web is a network of inter connected food chains that is a more realistic way of showing connections between organisms within an ecosystem as animals rarely exist on just one type of food scource
Producer
It is an organism That produces food that the beginning of a food chain. It takes up The first trophic level and is usually a plant. It converts Light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in tissues.
Primary consumer
It takes up the second tropic level and eats the producer. This organism is either omnivorous or herbivores. It transfers the producers energy into their tissues.
Secondary consumer
It takes up the third tropic level and eats the primary consumer. This organism is either omnivorous or carnivores. It transfers the producers energy into their tissues.
Tertiary consumer
It takes up the fourth tropic level and eats the primary consumer. This organism is either omnivorous or carnivores. It transfers the producers energy into their tissues.
Habitat
It is the home of an organism and it provides everything it needs, such as shelter, food and protection form other organisms.
Environment
It is the surround8ngs of a living thing that includes all living things, rocks, soil and weather conditions. It has to factors Abiotic and biotic.
Abiotic factors
It is the non living factorsin an environment such as water, temperature and wind.
Biotic factors
It is the living factors in an environment. It usually describes the plants and animals the organism comes in contact with.
Population
It is made up of the organism of the same species that live in a particular habitat.
Community
It is made up of the different plant and animal populations that are living together in a habitat.
Ecosystem
It is the community of living things and their environment, and the way they are linked together through the movement of nutrients and energy. An ecosystem can be divided into many habitats.
Biodiversity
It is the term used t9 describe the number and variety of species ina na ecosystem
Keystone species
A plant or animal species which helps the survival of a large number of other species in a habitat. It may be a tree which provides food and resting places for animals and support for other plants, or a predator that keeps down the numbers of prey which, allowed to increase, would reduce the number of plants in a habitat
Biomass
Mass of living mater
