Ecology Vocabulary

Producers

• Organisms that produce their own food; also known as autotrophs.

• Organisms that consume other organisms for energy; also known as heterotrophs.

• Organisms that decompose organic material; also known as saprotrophs.

• Organisms that rely on sunlight for energy; also known as phototrophs.

Autotrophs

• Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances, like plants using photosynthesis.

• Organisms that consume other organisms for energy.

• Organisms that decompose organic material for nutrients.

• Organisms that rely on external sources for food.

Consumers

• Organisms that produce their own food; also known as autotrophs.

• Organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other organisms; also known as heterotrophs.

• Organisms that decompose organic material; also known as saprotrophs.

• Organisms that rely on photosynthesis for energy; also known as phototrophs.

Ecosystem

• A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

• A type of biome characterized by its climate and vegetation.

• A group of species that live in the same area but do not interact.

• A system of energy flow and nutrient cycling in a single organism.

Food web

• A diagram that shows how different plants and animals in an ecosystem are connected through what they eat.

• A chart that lists all the species in an ecosystem.

• A map that indicates the geographical distribution of species.

• A list of food items consumed by a specific animal.

Abiotic

• Living organisms that interact with each other and their environment.

• Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.

• Processes that involve the transformation of energy in living organisms.

• Factors that are influenced by the presence of living organisms.

Carnivore

• An animal that feeds on other animals.

• A plant that absorbs nutrients from the soil.

• An animal that primarily eats fruits and vegetables.

• A creature that lives in water.

Biotic

• Non-living components of an ecosystem, such as rocks and water.

• Living components of an ecosystem; for example organisms, such as plants and animals.

• Chemical substances that affect living organisms.

• Physical factors that influence the environment.

Heterotrophs

• Organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis.

• Organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms.

• Organisms that primarily live in aquatic environments.

• Organisms that are capable of surviving in extreme conditions.

Primary Consumer

• an organism that eats producers (plants or algae) to get energy.

• an organism that only eats other consumers.

• an organism that decomposes dead matter.

• an organism that can produce its own food.