Energy flow through ecosystems

Producer

An organism that makes its own food

Consumer

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms

Detrivore

an animal that feeds on dead materials

Carnivore

A consumer that eats only animals.

Omnivore

An animal that eats both plants and animals

Herbivore

A consumer that eats only plants.

Autotroph

An organism that makes its own food

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot make its own food.

Trophic level

Each step in a food chain or food web

Photosynthesis

Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.

Chemosynthesis

process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates

Energy pyramid

A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web

Biomass

the total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.

Cell respiration

the process in cells in which oxygen is used to release stored energy by breaking down sugar molecules