Energy Flow In Ecosystems

Autotroph

Organisms that make their own food

Carnivore

organism that obtains energy by eating animals

Decomposer

organism that breaks down and obtains energy from dead organic matter

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

energy pyramid

A diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another in a food web. (10% rule)

food chain

A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten

food web

A community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains

Herbivore

An organism that eats only plants

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot make its own food.

Omnivore

organism that obtains energy by eating both plants and animals

trophic level

step in a food chain or food web