B12 - Organisms and their environments Flashcards
sunlight is energy input
for plants
The sun is the
main source of energy input in biological systems like food chains and food webs
What is grass in a food chain
a producer because grass is a plant and produces its own food from photosynthesis (light energy)
What do all food chains start with
a producer
A grasshopper is an example of a
primary consumer as it gets its energy from producers
What is a consumer
an organisms that eats another organism for energy
Why are primary consumers called that
because they are the first to eat other organisms in the food chain (herbivore)
What level consumer is a rat
a secondary consumer because they eat primary consumers for energy (carnivore)
What level consumer is an owl
a tertiary consumer because it consumers the secondary consumer for energy (also carnivores)
Fungi and bacteria are known as
decomposers breaking down dead matter and waste for energy
Fungi digest their food by secreting
enzymes
food chains show the
feeding relationships and energy flows within a biological community.
trophic levels
describe where an organism fits in a food chain
A food chain can be defined as
a transfer of energy between organisms by ingestion
A food web is an
interconnected network of food chains
Plants transfer energy from light into
stored energy inside them
Energy transferred from a plant to an animal occurs when
they digest and assimilate plant food to make new substances in their body tissue
What is energy and absorbed food molecules used for in an animal
to produce new animal tissue or gametes for reproduction
as a source of energy for respiration
why do food chains have fewer than 5 trophic levels
organisms expend energy when looking for food and more energy is lost when looking for more food. Because each trophic level there is significant energy loss to the point where if there was a 5th trophic level that consumer would not get enough energy and nutrients and if they did it would not be efficient
What is an ecosystem
a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
How is energy lost through trophic levels
heat
movement
respiration
