Energy Flow in the Ecosystem Vocabulary Flashcard

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What is a Producer?

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An organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and some bacteria.

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What is an Autotroph?

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An organism that produces its own food from inorganic substances; synonymous with producers.

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What is a Consumer?

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An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms; includes herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

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What is a Decomposer?

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

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What is a Food Chain?

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

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What is a Food Web?

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A complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, illustrating how different organisms are related.

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What is a Tertiary Consumer?

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An organism that is at the top of the food chain, feeding on secondary consumers; often carnivorous.

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What is a Primary Consumer?

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An organism that feeds on producers; typically herbivores.

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What is a Secondary Consumer?

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An organism that feeds on primary consumers; can be carnivores or omnivores.

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What is an Energy Pyramid?

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A graphical representation showing the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.