Ch. 5 Key Terms Flashcards
Photosynthesis
is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that can later be released to fuel the organisms activities.
Producer
an organism that produces its own food. Producers get their energy by making their own food.
Consumer
an animal that cannot produce its own food and must eat plants or other animals for energy.
Decomposer
An organism, often a bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, making organic nutrients available to the ecosystem.
Cellular Respiration
a set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms
Food Chain
a hierarchical series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.
Food Web
a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.
Trophic Level
each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain
Carbon Cycle
is nature’s way of reusing carbon atoms, which travel from the atmosphere into organisms in the Earth and then back into the atmosphere
Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria
re prokaryotic microorganisms that are capable of transforming nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into “fixed nitrogen” compounds
Nitrogen Cycle
the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.
Phosphorus Cycle
is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
Ecological Succession
the process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time.
Primary Succession
type of ecological succession in which plants and animals first colonize a barren, lifeless habitat.
Pioneer Species
are hardy species which are the first to colonize barren environments or previously biodiverse steady-state ecosystems that have been disrupted, such as by fire
