Ecology Unit 1 Flashcard 3 S7L4c

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants) to obtain energy. In the food chain, they are the second level of consumers.

Front

What role do elk play in the Yellowstone food chain?

Back

Elk are primary consumers in the Yellowstone food chain, feeding on plants.

Front

What effect did the reintroduction of wolves have on willow trees in Yellowstone?

Back

The reintroduction of wolves led to an increase in the number and health of willow trees.

Front

What human activity worsens the greenhouse effect?

Back

Burning fossil fuels worsens the greenhouse effect by releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Front

Which organism receives energy directly from the sun?

Back

Plants receive energy directly from the sun through the process of photosynthesis.

Front

What is an ecosystem?

Back

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their environment.

Front

Define a food chain.

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Front

What is a producer?

Back

A producer is an organism that can make its own food, typically through photosynthesis, such as plants.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers for energy.

Front

What is the significance 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.