7: The Tundra and Trophic Levels Flashcards
How are feeding relationships organized?
by trophic levels
What are the organisms that perform photosynthesis (or chemosynthesis) and produce food for themselves and for other organisms called?
autotrophs
What are organisms that depend on sources other than themselves for food called?
heterotrophs
What is the food chain?
producer –> primary consumer –> secondary consumer –> tertiary consumer –> quaternary consumer
What are producers?
autotrophs, usually a plant
What are primary consumers?
usually herbivores, heterotrophs
What does the “–>” mean in a food chain?
it means “it’s eaten by”
What are organisms that eat both plants and animals called?
omnivores
By which process does an animal release the energy it obtained from eating another animal?
cellular respiration
What are decomposers?
organisms that feed mainly on dead organic material; they convert organic matter into inorganic matter
What are examples of decomposers?
fungi, worm (earthworms), bacteria
What is a herbivore?
animal that only eats plants
What is a carnivore?
animal that only eats meat
