Organisms and Environment - Interdependence Flashcards
basic needs
what living things MUST have to survive.
The basic needs for animals are food, water, shelter and air. The basic needs for plants are sunlight, water, soil and air.
ecosystem
All the living and non-living things in an area.
In a desert ecosystem, you might find rocks, sand, sunlight, air and water; which are non-living and lizards, birds, cacti, and insects which are living.
living organism
anything that eats, grows, reproduces and dies.
All plants and animals are living organisms.
non-living things
Anything that is not or never was alive.
Rocks, air, sunlight and water are non-living things.
producers
plants
Plants produce, or make, their own food; that is why we call them producers.
consumers
anything that has to eat another living thing for food.
Animals are consumers. There are different kinds of consumers that are classified by what they eat.
decomposers
an organism that breaks down dead matter returning nutrients to the soil.
Mushrooms, rolly polies, earthworms and bacteria are common decomposers.
herbivores
organisms that eat ONLY plants.
Cows, deer, rabbits, some birds and some fish are just a few examples of herbivores.
carnivores
organisms that eat ONLY other animals.
Lions, owls, hawks and some fish are just a few examples of carnivores.
omnivores
organisms that eat BOTH plants and animals.
Humans, chickens, dogs, and some fish and birds are just a few examples of omnivores.
scavengers
organisms that eat dead animals.
Vultures and buzzards are two examples of scavengers.
predator
an organism that hunts and kills its prey(food)
Carnivores and omnivores are predators - they must hunt and kill their food.
prey
an animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal.
A snake is a predator and its prey is a mouse.
food chain
a system that shows the flow of energy through an environment.
Sun, grass, mouse, snake, hawk is an example of a food chain.
food web
An interconnected relationship of multiple, overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.
Food webs begin with the sun but have many paths for the energy to flow.
pollution
waste or trash that harms the air, land or water.
Pollution is caused by people adding trash or smoke to the environment.
grazers
herbivores that eat plants (usually grass) constantly.
Cows graze on grass all day long.
photosynthesis
The process where plants use light to make their own food.
Green plants use sunlight, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide in photosynthesis to produce glucose for energy.
carbon dioxide - oxygen cycle
The exchange of gases between plants and animals.
Plants give off oxygen during photosynthesis and animals give off carbon dioxide during respiration (breathing)
