feeding relationships Flashcards
(19 cards)
define population
a species that occupy the same habitat
define habitat
The place in which an organism lives
define community
populations of different species interacting
define ecosystem
interactions between the biotic and abiotic factors in an area
what do food chains show
Food chains show feeding relationships within communities, specifically the transfer of energy between trophic levels
define biomass
define producer
A producer is an organism that can produce its own carbon compounds, e.g. glucose, by chemical processes such as photosynthesis.
what are trophic levels
stages in a food chain
what do the arrows represent in a food chain
direction of biomass transfer
describe a simple food chain
producer —- primary consumer——-secondary consumer——tertiary consumer.
what types of organisms are producers
photosynthetic organisms like green plants and algae that trap energy from the sun.
define primary consumer
A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers. Primary consumers are also known as herbivores.
define secondary consumer
A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers. carnivores.
define the term tertiary consumer
Tertiary consumers are organisms that feed on secondary consumers. They are carnivores and are present at the fourth trophic level of food chains.
what is a predator
a consumer that kills and eats other animals
what is a prey
an animal that is killed and eaten by other animals.
describe the pattern of predators and prey in a stable community
In a stable community the numbers of predators and prey rise and fall in cycles.
e.g.In a stable community the numbers of predators will rise when prey numbers are high, then as prey numbers decline the predator numbers will also decline.
why are producers the first trophic level
- producers provide all the biomass for the food chain ( production of glucose via photosynthesis)
-the rest of the food chain involves the transfer of this biomass
