chp 5. key terms Flashcards
photosynthesis
the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water
producer
Photosynthesizing organisms. Producers are any kind of green plant. Green plants make their food by taking sunlight and using the energy to make sugar.
consumer
any organism that can’t make its own food. Consumers have to feed on producers or other consumers to survive.
decomposer
organism that breaks down dead organic material
cellular respiration
the process by which organisms combine oxygen with foodstuff molecules
food chain
the sequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism.
food web
a detailed description of the species within a community and their relationships with each other
trophic level
the level a specific organism occupies in a food chain
carbon cycle
nature’s way of reusing carbon atoms,
nitrogen fixing bacteria
prokaryotic microorganisms that are capable of transforming nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into “fixed nitrogen” compounds
nitrogen cycle
a repeating cycle of processes during which nitrogen moves through both living and non-living things
phosphorus cycle
the biochemical process by which phosphorous travels from its source in rocks through different ecosystems to living organisms
ecological succession
the order of colonization of species in an ecosystem from a barren or destroyed area of land
primary succession
plants and animals first colonize a barren, lifeless habitat
secondary succession
when the severity of disturbance is insufficient to remove all the existing vegetation and soil from a site
