Food chain Flashcards
Food chain
A sequence of organisms that eat one another for food, and transfer nutrients and energy in an ecosystem
Food web
Food webs show the movement of energy and the many interactions in an ecosystem
Herbivore
An organism that mostly or entirely feeds of plants
Carnivore
An organism that mostly or entirely eats meat, or the flesh of living things.
Omnivore
An organism that eats both plants and animals
Producer
An organism that creates its own food. A food chain always starts with a producer to produce the life for the entire food chain
Trophic levels
The level an organism is found on a food chain
Primary Consumer
An organism that feeds on primary producers. Organisms of this type are on the second trophic level
Secondary Consumer
Organisms that eat primary consumers for energy. On the third trophic level above primary consumers.
Tertiary Consumer
An organism that obtains its nutrition by consuming primary and secondary consumers. Usually at the top of the food chain
Quaternary Consumer
Consumers found above the tertiary consumers. Reside at the very top of the food chain and have no natural predators
10% Rule
Refers to the amount of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next, which is usually 10% or less.
Biomass Pyramid
a graphical representation of biomass presented in various trophic levels
Pyramid of Numbers
graphical representation that shows the number of organisms at each trophic level
Energy Pyramid
A graphical representation showing the flow of energy at each trophic level in an ecosystem
