PLTW Launch Ecosystems: Flow of Matter & Energy Flashcard

Front

What are abiotic factors in an ecosystem?

Back

Nonliving components like water, sunlight, and oxygen.

Front

What is a balanced ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem in which many organisms can meet their needs.

Front

What is matter in an ecosystem?

Back

An element, material, or substance that has mass and takes up space.

Front

What is an unbalanced ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem in which many organisms cannot meet their needs.

Front

What is a herbivore?

Back

An animal that eats only plants.

Front

What are biotic factors in an ecosystem?

Back

Living components like plants and animals.

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another.

Front

What is a producer in an ecosystem?

Back

An organism that makes its own food, usually through photosynthesis.

Front

What is a consumer?

Back

An organism that eats other organisms for energy.

Front

What is a decomposer?

Back

An organism that breaks down dead material and recycles nutrients back into the ecosystem.