Interactions in the Environment Flashcards
To enhance knowledge on the environment.
What is an ecosystem?
A small or large environment where living and non-living things interact.
What are the two essential parts of an ecosystem?
Abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living).
What are abiotic elements?
The non-living parts of an ecosystem, such as rocks, soil, nutrients, air, and sunlight.
What are biotic elements?
The living parts of an ecosystem, such as producers, consumers, and decomposers.
What are producers?
Living parts of an ecosystem which use abiotic elements and convert them into energy or food. (Trees, plants, etc)
What are consumers?
Living parts of an ecosystem which cannot make their own energy and food, so they eat other organisms (plants and animals) to survive. There are three subsections: herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
What are herbivores?
Consumers which only eat plants.
What are carnivores?
Consumers which only eat meat.
What are omnivores?
Consumers which eat both plants and animals.
What are decomposers?
Living organisms which break down dead organisms and waste. They return nutrients to the soil.
Why is pond water an example of an ecosystem?
It has living elements, such as fish and plants, and non-living parts, such as air, sunlight, and water. These elements work together in unison to create a healthy environment.
What are biotic interactions?
When interactions between an ecosystem’s living components occur, such as passing food and energy.
What are interactions between biotic and non-biotic components?
When living organsims interact with the non-biotic components to survive, for example, animals needing oxygen and food created by plants, or living organisms need water to survive.
What are the laws of thermodynamics?
- Energy cannot be created or destroyed, and can only change from one form to another within the ecosystem.
- When energy is transformed, some energy is lost.
What is a food chain?
The way that food and energy are transferred from one part of the ecosystem to the other. each time energy passes, some is lost, and the recipient only gets 10% of the available energy.
