Ecosystem Vocabulary

carnivore

• an animal that eats only plants

• an animal that eats both plants and animals

• an animal that eats only other animals

• an animal that primarily eats fruits

prey

• an animal that is hunted by and eaten by another animal

• a type of plant that consumes insects

• a large predator that hunts for food

• a habitat where animals live and thrive

herbivore

• an animal that only eats plants

• an animal that eats both plants and meat

• an animal that primarily eats insects

• an animal that feeds on detritus

model

• a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with

• a physical representation of a scientific theory

• a detailed explanation of a scientific phenomenon

• a collection of data used for analysis

producer

• a living thing that makes its own food

• a type of consumer that eats plants

• an organism that decomposes organic material

• a living thing that relies on others for food

decomposer

• an organism that breaks down dead plant and animal cells into simpler substances for energy

• a type of plant that produces its own food through photosynthesis

• an animal that feeds on living plants and animals

• a microorganism that causes diseases in plants and animals

omnivore

• an animal that eats both plants and animals

• a plant-eating animal

• an animal that primarily eats meat

• a creature that lives in water

ecosystem

• a group of all organisms and their environment

• a type of climate zone

• a collection of non-living things

• a single species in a habitat

food web

• a single food chain in an ecosystem

• many different food chains found in one place

• the process of photosynthesis

• the habitat of various species

predator

• an animal that hunts and eats other animals

• a type of plant that absorbs nutrients from soil

• a creature that primarily feeds on fruits and vegetables

• an animal that scavenges dead organisms