Ecosystem Structure and Trophic Levels Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards focusing on ecosystem definitions, biotic and abiotic factors, trophic feeding levels, consumers, producers, and detritivores.

Ecosystem

The main unit in environmental science, composed of both living organisms and all nonliving parts of the environment that support life.

Biotic Factors

The living things within an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factors

The nonliving parts of an ecosystem, including surrounding temperature, soil nutrition, moisture, and chemistry.

Primary Producers

Organisms, typically green plants, that get energy from the sun through photosynthesis and form the basis of the food chain.

Autotrophs

Meaning auto feeders, these are primary producers like green plants that sit at the base of the food chain.

Herbivores

Animals that feed on plants and ground vegetation, functioning as primary consumers.

Primary Consumers

The first level of animals that feed directly on primary producers.

Carnivores

Animals that eat herbivores, functioning as secondary consumers.

Secondary Consumers

Organisms that feed on primary consumers.

Tertiary Consumers

Organisms that feed on secondary consumers.

Quaternary Consumers

Organisms that feed on tertiary consumers in a food chain.

Detritus

Dead and decaying material that exists within an ecosystem.

Detritivores

Organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and insects that feed on dead and decaying material (detritus) and return nutrition back to the ecosystem.

Food Chain

The structure that puts together primary producers, consumers at various feeding levels, and decomposers/detritivores.