Key Terms
This is the scientific study of the relationships between organisms and their environment.
Ecology
Sunlight, temperature, and water are examples of this kind of factor.
Abiotic factor
An organism that makes its own food using sunlight.
Producer
Plants use this process to turn sunlight into sugar.
Photosynthesis
A simple path that shows how energy flows from one organism to another.
Food chain
This term refers to all the members of one species living in an area
Population
A tree, mushroom, and fox are examples of this kind of factor.
Biotic factor
This type of organism only eats plants.
Herbivore
This process releases energy by breaking down sugar in the presence of oxygen
Cellular Respiration
A more complex diagram showing many interconnected food chains.
Food web
A group of populations that live together in the same area.
Community
True or False: A dead leaf is still considered a biotic factor.
True
A human eats both plants and animals. What type of consumer is this?
Omnivore
This type of organism breaks down dead matter and recycles nutrients.
Decomposer
The level an organism occupies in a food chain or web.
Trophic level