Vocabulary
Define Heterotroph
an organism that cannot produce its own food and must obtain energy by consuming other organisms or organic matter
Define Carbon Footprint
the total amount of greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, emitted by our activities
Define Ecosystem
Bonus Question
a community of living organisms
Trophic levels and their significance
demonstrating how energy transfers, with producers forming the base and energy decreasing at each higher level, which shapes population dynamics and ecosystem stability
Define Ecosystem
a community of living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with each other and their non-living environment (abiotic factors) like water, soil, and sunlight, functioning together as a unit
Define Biodiversity
Bonus Question
the variety of all life on Earth
Define Biomass
the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.
Define Population
a complete group of individuals, objects, or events that share a common characteristic
what is Energy flow in ecosystems
the transfer of energy from one organism to another through food chains and webs
Define Conservation
prevention of wasteful use of a resource.
Define Cellular Respiration
the process where cells convert into energy
Define Replenishable Resource
a natural resource that can be renewed through natural processes at a rate similar to its consumption, making it sustainable for continued use
Define Organism
any individual living being that can function independently
Definitions and examples of each;Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers
Producers- a person, company, or country that makes, grows, or supplies goods or commodities for sale.
Consumers-a person who purchases goods and services for personal use.
Decomposers-an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.
Define Climate change
Bonus question
the long-term shift in Earth's average temperatures and weather patterns, driven mainly by human activities like burning fossil fuels since the 1800s
Define Autotroph
an organism that can produce its own food from inorganic substances like sunlight
Define Byproduct
Bonus Question
an incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.
Define Community
a group of people who live or work together in the same area, or who share common interests, backgrounds, or a sense of identity
Food Chains and Food Webs Definition and examples
A food chain is a single, linear pathway of energy flow, while a food web is a complex network of multiple interconnected food chains
Define Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a management concept where companies voluntarily integrate social and environmental concerns into their business operations and interact with stakeholders
Define Carrying Capacity
the maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the available resources like food, water, and habitat
Define Circular Economy
an economic model that eliminates waste and pollution by circulating products and materials at their highest value for as long as possible
Define Biome
a large geographic region characterized by a specific climate, which in turn determines the types of plants and animals that live there
Energy pyramid
Bonus Question
a model that illustrates how energy flows through an ecosystem, with the amount of available energy decreasing at each successive trophic level
Define the Three E’s of Sustainability
Environment, Economy, and Equity, representing the three core pillars required for true long-term sustainability. These are: Environmental (protecting natural resources), Economic (ensuring long-term profitability and efficiency), and Equity (fair distribution of resources and opportunities for all people)