Ecosystems Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is a population?
A group of organisms of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time so can interbreed
What is a species?
A group of organisms with similar features that can freely interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What is a community?
All the populations of difference species that live and interact in the same area at the same time
What is a habitat?
The physical environment than an organism is found in
What is a niche?
The role each organism plays in an ecosystem. It includes its habitat, the resources it uses, and its interactions with other organisms
What is a producer?
Autotrophic organisms that convert light energy to chemical energy via photosynthesis, which they then supply to consumers
What is a decomposer?
Organisms that feed on dead organic matter that then become available to other living organisms in that ecosystem
What is a trophic level?
The level at which an organism feeds in a food chain. E.g, producer or secondary consumer
What is an autotroph?
An organism that synthesises complex organic molecules from inorganic molecules, e.g CO2 and H2O.
Photoautotrophs use sunlight as their energy, chemoautotrophs use energy from chemical reactions
What is a heterotroph?
Cannot fix carbon and gains their carbon by eating other organisms and taking in organic carbon
