Ch. 3 Flashcards
organic matter produced by plants
biomass
animals that feed on other animals
carnivores
populations of all species living and interacting in an area at a particular time
community
organism that cannot synthesize the organic nutrients it needs and gets its organic nutrients by feeding on tissues of producers or other consumers
consumer/heterotroph
organism that digests parts of dead organisms and cast off fragments and wastes of living organisms
decomposer
consumer organisms that feeds on detritus or parts of dead organisms
detritivores
one or more communities of different species interacting with one another with the chemical and physical factors making up their nonliving environment
ecosystem
series of organisms in which each eats or decomposes the preceding one
food chain
complex network of many interconnected food chains and feeding relationships
food web
plant eating organisms
herbivores
zone of transition between the mesophere and thermosphere
mesopause
coldest layer, low air pressure, least explored
mesosphere
animal that uses plants and other animals as food
omnivore
group of organisms of the same species living in a particular area
population
organism that uses solar/chemical energy to manufacture organic compounds; needs nutrients from single inorganic compounds
producer/autotroph
all organisms that are the same number of energy transfers away from the original source of energy that enters an ecosystem
trophic level
boundary layer between the stratosphere and the mesosphere
stratopause
ozone layer ; planes fly here
stratosphere
the boundary level between the troposphere and stratosphere
tropopause
life exists here, 75% of atmosphere
troposphere
boundary layer between the thermosphere and exosphere
thermopause
very thin air; high temps from solar radiation
thermosphere
natural effect that releases heat into the atmosphere near the earth’s surface
natural greenhouse effect
