Living Systems Investigation 1 Vocabualry

food chain

• A description of the feeding relationships between organisms in an environment

• A type of food that is healthy for humans

• A chain of restaurants serving fast food

• A method of cooking food quickly

herbivore

• An animal that eats plants

• An animal that eats meat

• An animal that eats both plants and meat

• An animal that eats insects

algae

• A large plantlike group of water organisms that make their own food

• A type of fish found in freshwater

• A small aquatic insect

• A form of bacteria that decomposes organic matter

subsystem

• A small system that is inside a larger system

• A system that operates independently

• A system that is larger than the main system

• A temporary system used for testing

ecosystem

• A community of organisms interacting with each other and with the nonliving environment

• A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring

• The physical place where an organism lives

• A collection of different species living in isolation

decomposer

• An organism that breaks down plant and animal material into simple chemicals

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

• An animal that primarily feeds on other animals

• A microorganism that causes diseases in plants and animals

nonliving

• Referring to something that has never been alive or to things that were once alive and are no longer alive

• Describing something that is currently alive and thriving

• Indicating a state of being active and energetic

• Referring to objects that are made of natural materials

carnivore

• An animal that eats other animals

• A plant-eating animal

• An animal that eats both plants and animals

• An animal that lives in water

interact

• To act upon another

• To ignore completely

• To observe silently

• To respond passively

energy

• What cells need to do work

• What cells need to rest

• What cells need to grow

• What cells need to divide