Ecosystems Vocabulary

Food Chain

• A series of events in which one organism eats another in order to gain energy.

• A process where plants convert sunlight into food.

• A network of interconnected ecosystems.

• A method of food preservation using low temperatures.

Herbivore

• A consumer that feeds on plants only.

• A consumer that feeds on other animals only.

• A consumer that feeds on both plants and animals.

• A producer that creates its own food.

Prey

• An organism that is hunted and eaten by another organism.

• A type of plant that produces its own food.

• An animal that hunts other animals for food.

• A symbiotic relationship between two organisms.

Food Web

• A single food chain

• A type of ecosystem

• The term for many overlapping food chains

• A diagram of energy flow

Omnivore

• A consumer that feeds on plants and animals.

• A consumer that only eats plants.

• A consumer that only eats animals.

• A consumer that feeds on decomposed matter.

Carnivore

• A consumer that feeds on plants only.

• A consumer that feeds on animals only.

• A consumer that feeds on both plants and animals.

• A consumer that does not eat at all.

Photosynthesis

• The process that allows producers to convert light into chemical energy.

• A method used by animals to digest food.

• The way plants absorb water from the soil.

• A technique for generating electricity from sunlight.

Apex Species

• An organism at the very top of the food chain with no natural enemies.

• A species that is commonly found in various habitats.

• An organism that primarily feeds on plants and herbivores.

• A species that migrates seasonally to find food.

Heterotroph

• A type of producer

• Another term for a consumer.

• An organism that makes its own food

• A decomposer in the ecosystem

Arrows in Food Web

• Represent Energy Flow.

• Indicate Population Size.

• Show Species Diversity.

• Demonstrate Trophic Levels.