Ecosystems and Energy

Front

What is an ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microorganisms) interacting with their physical environment (air, water, soil).

Front

What are producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Producers are organisms that make their own food using sunlight, usually through photosynthesis. Examples include plants and algae.

Front

What are consumers in an ecosystem?

Back

Consumers are organisms that cannot make their own food and rely on eating other organisms. They can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores.

Front

What is a herbivore?

Back

A herbivore is an animal that primarily eats plants. Examples include cows, rabbits, and deer.

Front

What is a carnivore?

Back

A carnivore is an animal that primarily eats other animals. Examples include lions, wolves, and eagles.

Front

What is an omnivore?

Back

An omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and animals. Examples include humans, bears, and pigs.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil and helping to recycle matter in the ecosystem. Examples include fungi and bacteria.

Front

What does the suffix -vore mean?

Back

The suffix -vore means 'to eat.' It is used in terms like herbivore (plant eater) and carnivore (meat eater).

Front

What is energy flow in an ecosystem?

Back

Energy flow in an ecosystem refers to how energy is transferred from one organism to another, starting from producers to consumers and then to decomposers.

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem.