Food Chain
What is the first organism in most food chains?
Producers
What do we call the sequence of who eats whom in an ecosystem, showing the flow of energy from one organism to another?
A food chain
What is one natural event that can change an ecosystem, like a forest?
Wildfire
What type of organism breaks down dead plants and animals?
Decomposer
What will likely happen to herbivores if their plant food source decreases?
Their population will decline.
What type of consumer only eats plants?
Herbivore
In a food chain, what type of organism is responsible for capturing energy from the sun?
Producers (plants)
What might happen to plants and animals if a large part of their habitat is destroyed by humans?
They may lose shelter and food
What is the role of carnivores in a food web?
They eat herbivores and other animals.
If pollution increases in a lake, what might happen to fish populations?
Fish populations will decline.
What do we call animals that eat both plants and other animals?
Omnivores
What happens to the amount of energy as it moves from one level of the food chain to the next?
It decreases.
How can pollution in a river affect the animals that live there?
It can poison the water
What role do scavengers play in an ecosystem?
They consume dead organisms.
How would a long drought affect plant growth in an ecosystem?
Plant growth will slow down.
What is the term for an animal that is eaten by another animal?
Prey
In a food web, which organisms receive the least amount of energy?
The top predator
What might happen to an ecosystem if an invasive species is introduced?
Disrupts the balance of the ecosystem.
What is a keystone species?
A species that has a large impact on its ecosystem
How might climate change impact the migration patterns of birds?
Migration patterns may change.
What is the role of decomposers in a food chain?
They break down dead organisms and recycle nutrients.
In an energy pyramid, which level contains the most energy?
Producers
What term describes the variety of different species living in an ecosystem?
Biodiversity
What happens to an ecosystem if the top predator is removed?
The population of primary consumers may increase dramatically.
If there is a significant increase in carbon dioxide levels, what is a likely effect on plant growth?
Plant growth may increase.