Biology Flashcards
organisms that produce their own food
producers (autotrophs)
ex. plants, microorganisms
organisms that consume food
consumers (heterotrophs)
primary consumers that only eats plants
herbivores
secondary consumers that eat meat and live off primary consumerse
carnivores
the consumers’ fungi and bacteria are also called…?
decomposers
they break down grass, tree trunks, and animal remains so that nutrients return to the soil
has many overlapping food chains of producers and consumers
food web
it shows the number of organisms in each trophic level
ecological pyramid
shows the number of organisms in each trophic level and does not take into consideration the size of the organisms, the emphasis is only in the number: whether many or few
number pyramid
indicates the total mass of the organisms in each trophic level; the size of the organism is emphasized here
biomass pyramid
indicates the total amount of energy present in each tropic level; it also shows the loss of energy from one trophic level to the next
energy pyramid
happens when toxic chemicals whose remains in the environment are consumed indirectly by organisms through food
when an organism in the higher food chain consumes the lower organism containing such chemicals, the chemicals can get accumulated in the higher organism
biomagnification
a state of balance among all the body systems needed for the body to survive and function correctly
homeostasis or equilibrium
list the percentages of energy in an energy pyramid
producer: 100%
primary consumer: 10%
secondary consumer: 1%
third level consumer: 0.1%
fourth level consumer: 0.01%
defined as a close, prolonged association between two or more different biological species
symbiosis
where both species involved benefit from an interaction
mutualism
where one species benefits while the other is harmed from an interaction
parasitism
where one species obtains food or other benefits from the other without either harming or benefiting the latter
commensalism
trees that lose and regrow their leaves each year
deciduous trees
