Quarter 2 Test Review Flashcards
Producer
Definition: Organism that makes its own food; autotroph (self-feeder)
Example: Plants, clover
Consumer
Definition: Organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms; heterotroph (other-feeder)
Example: Coyote, rabbit
Herbivore
Definition: Plant eaters; only eats producers
Example: cows, sheep, deer,
Carnivore
Definition: Consumers that only eat other consumers
Example: lions, hawks
Omnivore
Definition: Eaters of all; consumers that eat producers and other consumers
Example: humans
Decomposer
Definition: Consumer that gets food by breaking down dead organisms
Example: Fungi, bacteria
Cellular Respiration
The process of breaking down food to yield energy
Energy Pyramid
- Energy is lost during the process of converting food to energy so that at each “trophic” level, only 10% of that energy is transferred.
- Pyramid: Producers at the bottom, then primary consumers, then secondary consumers, then tertiary consumers at the top.
Water Cycle
The sun creates heat that evaporates water from water sources, turning it into clouds. Then as the water cools, it condenses to form tiny droplets. When the clouds meet cold air, the water returns as precipitation. It is then soaked into soil, or evaporated.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon enters when producers take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, then consumers eat the producers. When food molecules are broken down during cellular respiration, the carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO2.
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil take nitrogen gas from the air and transform it into ammonia, which might be turned into nitrates, which in turn can become atmospheric nitrogen. Other bacteria takes the nitrogen from dead organisms and returns it to the soil.
Primary Succession
Succession that occurs on surfaces where no ecosystem existed before
Secondary Succession
Succession that occurs on a surface where an ecosystem has previously existed
The first organism to colonize a newly available area
Pioneer organism
Biome
Areas that have distinctive climates and organisms
Tropical Rainforest
Description: Near the equator, hot, wet, and humid, strong sunlight year-round, little variation in temperature, thin and poor soil, canopies, specialists,
Threats: Native people displaced, land is being stripped and cleared
Distinction: Greatest biological diversity of any biome
Temperate Rainforest
Description: High rainfall and moderate temperatures are perfect for forest plants. Contains deciduous forests.
Distinction: Located about 48 degrees latitude but the Pacific moderates the temperature. The forest floor gets more light than a rainforest, and therefore more plants.
Taiga
Description: Rough terrain and the forest floor is sparsely vegetated. It has long cold winters and low precipitation. It also has lakes and swamps.
Distinction: Acidic soil prevents most soil growth.
Savannah
Description: Found in tropics near the equator. Heavy rainfall is followed by droughts. Plants have large roots systems and animals are migratory
Distinction: Greatest collection of grazing animals on earth.
