Unit 5 Ecosystems

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with one another and their non-living environment

Sun

The source from where all living things get their energy

Food Chain

Energy flow from one organism to another

Producer

Organism that makes their own food with energy from the Sun

Primary Consumer

Eats a producer for energy

Secondary Consumer

Eats a primary consumer for energy

Decomposer

Breaks down dead, decaying organisms for energy

Food Web

A complex network of interconnected food chains

Energy Pyramid

A diagram that shows how energy is passed along among organisms in an ecosystem

Trophic Level

Each level in an energy pyramid

Symbiosis

Relationship in which at least one species will benefit

Mutualism

Relationship in which both species benefit

Commensalism

Relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected

Parasitism

Relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed

Population Size

the number of organisms that make up the population

Population Density

the number of organisms of the same species in a specific area

Population Dispersion

how spread individuals in an ecosystem are

Immigration

movement of members into the population

Emigration

movement of members out of the population

Limiting Factor

a factor that limits growth of a population

Carrying Capacity

the number of individuals an environment can support

Succession

the process by which an ecosystem community evolves over time

Climate Change

long-term changes in Earth's weather patterns