Energy Flow In Ecosystems Flashcards
Ecology
The study of living things and their interactions with each other and the environment
Ecosystem
A self supporting system of organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment
Habitat
Place within an ecosystem where specific organisms live
Population
All of the organisms of a particular species found in an ecosystem
Competition
The struggle for resources
Community
All the different species living in an ecosystem
Abiotic factors or physical environment
All the non-biological components in the ecosystem eg water, air, temperature, sunlight
Producer (autotrophic)
The organisms in an ecosystem that can make their own food through photosynthesis
Primary consumer
Organism in an ecosystem that obtains energy by feeding on producers (a herbivore)
Herbivore
Animal that feeds on plants
Secondary consumer
Organisms in an ecosystem that obtains energy by feeding on a primary consumer (a carnivore)
Carnivore
Animal that feeds on other animals
Prey
Animal hunted and killed by another for food
Predator
Animal that preys on other animals
Detrivore
Organism which feeds on a decaying material eg a worm
Decomposer
Organism that decomposes an organic material (eg a micro-organism)
Food chain
Shows the simple feeding relationships within an ecosystem
Tropic level
Stage in a food chain
Food web
Shows the complex feeding relationships within and ecosystem
Pyramid of numbers
Represents the number on organisms in each tropic level in a food chain, irrespective of their mass
Pyramid of biomass
Represents the total mass of the organisms in each tropic level, irrespective of their number
Animal that has no natural predators
Top carnivore
Quadrat
A square frame with a measured grid of wire within it used for systematic sampling of organisms
Feeding
Any organism except for producers, have to feed on other organisms in order to obtain energy for respiration
