7.5 C Energy Flow Through Living Systems Flashcards
An energy path from one organism to another showing a linked series; feeds on the one prior to it in the series.
Food Chain
Overlapping food chains with different pathways for the flow of food energy in an ecosystem.
Food Web
Starts with radiant energy captured by producers (plants) through photosynthesis, and continues with energy flow from producers to consumers and finally to decomposers.
Grazing Food Web
Starts with chemical energy stored in organic debris or waste from other food webs; continues energy flow from debris directly to decomposers that break down the organic matter, which then becomes food and energy for large and and larger consumers, and eventually decomposers.
Detrital Food Web
Organisms that transform energy from the sun and use carbon dioxide and water to make food.
Producers
Organisms that feed on other organisms in a food chain.
Consumer
Animals that eat only plants or plant products.
Herbivores
Animals that eat other animals.
Carnivores
Organisms that get their energy by feeding on producers in the food chain.
Primary Consumers
Organisms that get their energy by feeding on primary consumers(herbivores) in the food chain.
Secondary Consumers
Organisms that get their energy by eating secondary consumers.
Tertiary Consumers
Organisms such as bacteria and fungi that break down the remains of dead plants and animals without need for internal digestion.
Decomposers
Any class of organisms occupying the same position in a food chain, such as primary consumers or secondary consumers.
Trophic Level
Shows how much energy transfers to the next trophic level in a food chain.
Energy Pyramid
A system consisting of all of the interactions that occur between the abiotic and biotic factors within an environment.
Ecosystem
