Relationships in an Ecosystem

These flashcards cover key concepts related to relationships in an ecosystem, including definitions of important terms and structures of food chains.

What is a food chain?

A sequence by which energy, in the form of food, flows from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

What role do decomposers play in a food chain?

Decomposers break down complex compounds into simpler compounds, releasing valuable minerals and nutrients back into the soil for plants.

What is the initial source of energy in a food chain?

The Sun.

Define herbivore.

An organism that eats plants for food.

Define carnivore.

An organism that eats other animals for food.

Define omnivore.

An organism that eats both plants and animals for food.

What is a trophic level?

Each stage in the food chain; it refers to the feeding level of an organism.

What is a predator?

An organism that hunts, kills, and feeds on another organism.

What is prey?

An organism that is hunted, killed, and fed on by another organism.

What is an apex predator?

A predator at the top of a feeding relationship, without natural predators of its own.

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

A food chain is a linear flow of energy and nutrients, while a food web is a combination of many different food chains and the relationships between organisms.