Topic 6: Energy Transformation Vocabulary

Energy

the ability to cause change in a system

Energy Transformation

takes place when energy changes from one form into another

Chemosynthesis

microorganisms that live around these vents that use gases and dissolved minerals in the hot water as an energy source in a process

Ecosystem

a community of living organisms and their nonliving environment

Habitat

place where an organism lives within an ecosystem

Producer

also called an autotroph, uses energy to make food

Decomposer

organism that gets energy and nutrients by breaking down remains of other organisms

Consumer

organism that eats other organisms

Herbivore

consumer that eats plants

Carnivore

eats other animals (wolf, badger)

Omnivore

eats both plants and animals

Food Chain

path of energy transfer from producer to consumers

Food Web

shows the feeding relationships among many different organisms in an ecosystem

Niche

position/role a species has in an ecosystem

Primary Consumers

producers transfer energy to first, or primary consumer in a food chain

Secondary Consumers

in a food chain that consumes the primary consumers

Tertiary Consumers

can eat the secondary consumers

Energy Pyramid

a tool that can be used to trace the flow of energy through an ecosystem

Predator

an organism that consumes all/part of the body of another living or recently killed

Prey

an animal that is hunted for food