Biomes and Ecosystem Facts Flashcards
Define an ecosystem:
A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment.
What are biotic components:
The living features of an ecosystem
What are abiotic components:
The non-living features of an ecosystem
What are some examples of biotic components:
Plants and animals
What are some examples of abiotic components:
Climate, soil, water and light
Small scale example of an ecosystem:
A forest
Global scale example of an ecosystem:
An ocean
Food chains show:
Direct links between a producer and consumers
Food webs show:
All links between producer and consumers
Define producer:
An organism that makes its own food by converting energy from the environment (normally light) to glucose
Define consumer:
An organism that gets energy from the glucose produced/consumed by producers/consumers
Define decomposer:
An organism that breaks down waste material and returns nutrients to the soil.
Define the nutrient cycle:
The process of nutrients being absorbed, passed on and returned to the soil to be absorbed again.
How do deciduous trees link to the nutrient cycle:
They drop leaves, which provides nutrients for the decomposers to return to the soil to be absorbed again.
How are nutrients added to the nutrient cycle:
By rock being weathered and the nutrients from it transported to the soil.
