Ecology basics
This is the study of relationships among organisms and their interactions with their environment.
Ecology
A single living thing is called this level of organization.
Organism
Organisms that make their own food using sunlight or chemicals.
Autotrophs (producers)
Animals that eat plants only are called
Herbivores
A series of steps showing how organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
Food chain
These are the two major types of environmental factors that affect organisms.
Biotic and abiotic factors
All members of the same species living in the same area at the same time.
Population
Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms
Heterotrophs (consumers)
Animals that eat other animals are called
Carnivores
A network of many interconnected food chains
Food web
Air, sunlight, temperature, and soil are examples of this type of environmental factor.
Abiotic factors
All the interacting populations living in the same area.
Community
This process uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.
Photosynthesis
Animals that eat both plants and animals are called
Omnivores
Each step in a food chain or food web is called this
Trophic level
Plants, insects, worms, and bacteria are examples of this type of environmental factor.
Biotic factors
A community plus all the abiotic factors affecting it.
Ecosystem
This process allows some bacteria to produce food using chemical energy instead of sunlight.
Chemosynthesis
Organisms such as bacteria and fungi that chemically break down dead organic matter are called
About this percentage of energy transfers from one trophic level to the next.
10%
In a pond ecosystem with fish, algae, rocks, sunlight, and bacteria, name one abiotic and one biotic factor.
Abiotic: sunlight/water/rocks/oxygen (any valid)
Biotic: fish/algae/bacteria (any valid)
This is the largest ecological level and includes all parts of Earth where life exists.
Biosphere
These cell structures contain chlorophyll and are where photosynthesis occurs.
Chloroplasts
Organisms like crabs that eat small pieces of dead organic material.
Detritivores
Explain why only about 10% of energy moves to the next trophic level
Because organisms use most energy for movement, growth, respiration, reproduction, and it is lost as heat