Ecosystems - Structure and Components Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a unit of ecology and a chain of interactions between living organisms and their surrounding environment.
What is the structure of the ecosystem?
An ecosystem’s structure is determined by the organization of biotic and abiotic components, including energy distribution and climatic conditions, and these components are interrelated and interconnected within the ecosystem.
What are biotics components?
Biotic components refer to all living components in an ecosystem. They can be categorized into autotrophs, heterotrophs, and detrivores.
What are producers?
Producers, or autotrophs, are organisms that can create their own food through the process of photosynthesis. An example is plants. All other organisms in the food chain rely on producers.
What are consumers?
Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms for food. They are further classified into primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.
What are primary consumers?
Primary consumers are always herbivores as they rely on producers for food.
What are secondary consumers?
Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy. They are either carnivores or omnivores.
What are tertiary consumers?
Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary consumers for food. They are also either carnivores or omnivores.
What are quaternary consumers?
Quaternary consumers are present in some food chains who prey on tertiary consumers and are usually at the top of a food chain as they have no natural predators.
What are decomposers?
Decomposers also known as detrivores, include saprophytes such as fungi and bacteria. They thrive on the dead and decaying organic matter and are essential for an ecosystem as they help in recycling nutrients which can be reused by plants.
What are abiotic components of the ecosystem?
The abiotic components of an ecosystem are the non-living components of an ecosystem. It includes air, water, soil, minerals, sunlight temperature and other components of an environment.
What is ecology?
Ecology is the study of the relationships between organisms and their environment, as well as the balance between these relationships.
