Chapter 23 Ecosystems Flashcards
What is a habitat?
The area in which an organism lives
What is a population?
All the organisms of one species in a habitat
What is a producer?
An organism that produces organic molecules using sunlight energy
What is a decomposer?
An organism that breaks down dead or undigested organic material
What is a consumer?
An organism that eats other organisms
What is a trophic level?
A stage in the food chain occupied by a particular group of organisms
What is an ecosystem?
All the organisms living in a certain area and all the non living factors found there
Why are ecosystems known to be dynamic?
Because the biotic and abiotic factors that make up the ecosystem are constantly changing
What are biotic factors?
Living features in an ecosystem
Eg, food availability, disease
What are abiotic factors?
Non-living features in an ecosystem
Eg, temperature, weather
What is the purpose of food chains and food webs?
Show how energy is transferred through an ecosystem
