#11 Energy Flow

Autotroph

an organism that captures energy to produce its own food and provide the foundation of the food supply for other organisms 

Cellular respiration

a process that converts oxygen and sugar into chemical energy and carbon dioxide

Consumer

an organism that eats other organisms or organic matter

Decomposer

an organism that gets energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animal waste

detritivore

a heterotroph that decomposes organic material and returns the nutrients to the soil, air, and water

Food chain

a simplified model that shows a single path in which energy and matter flow through an ecosystem

Food web

a model that shows many interconnected pathways through which energy and matter flow through an ecosystem

Heterotroph

an organism that cannot make its own food and receives its nutrients and energy by feeding on other organisms

Omnivore

an organism that eats both plants and animals

Anabolic

a type of process that requires energy to build up large molecules from smaller ones

Catabolic

a type of pathway that releases energy and is used to break down large molecules into smaller ones

Aerobic respiration

a type of cellular respiration that requires oxygen

anaerobic respiration

a type of cellular respiration that does not require oxygen

microorganism

tiny living thing too small to be seen by the naked eye

nitrogen cycle

the circulation of nitrogen that is important for fertile soil and breathable air

Biomass

the amount of organisms in a given area or volume in an ecosystem

gross primary productivity

the amount of organic, carbon-based material that is produced by photosynthesis

net primary productivity

the measure of the amount of organic material produced minus the amount of organic material used during life processes such as respiration

Primary consumers

an organism that feeds on producers such as plants

Primary productivity

the rate at which plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic compounds

Trophic level

the level in which organisms are found in the food chain

pyramid of biomass

the amount of biomass in each trophic level

Trophic level

the level in which organisms are found within the food chain

tertiary (third) consumers

top-level consumers that are carnivores and feed on secondary consumers

Secondary consumers

an organism that feeds on primary consumers (herbivores)

Producer

an organism, also known as an autotroph, that makes its own food. A plant is an autotroph.

Primary consumer

an organism, also known as an herbivore, that feeds on producers such as plants

Invasive species

any kind of living organism that is not native to the ecosystem and causes harm

Biomass

the amount of organisms in a given area or volume

biomagnification

the increase of toxic substances that have accumulated in organisms, which increases at each trophic level 

gross primary productivity

the overall amount of energy captured by plants and other photosynthetic organisms 

net primary productivity

the adjusted amount of energy in an ecosystem due to energy use by organisms for respiration

primary productivity

the rate that plants and other photosynthetic organisms produce organic compounds

ten-percent rule

when energy is passed from one trophic level to the next, only about ten percent of the energy will be available

acidophile

an organism that grows best at acidic (low) pH values

alkaliphile

an organism that grows best at high pH values

anaerobe

an organism that can grow without oxygen present

chemosynthesis

a process that uses chemical energy instead of light energy by converting carbon or methane into organic matter using inorganic molecules such as hydrogen sulfide or methane as an energy source

endolith

an organism that lives inside rock or in the pores between mineral grains

extremophile

an organism that lives in extreme conditions such as minimal sunlight and high or low temperatures

Halophile

an organism requiring high amounts of salt for growth