Levels of Life, Taxonomy & Food Chain – Vocabulary Flashcards

34 vocabulary flashcards covering cell hierarchy, ecological levels, taxonomy categories, the five kingdoms, the three domains, and roles in a food chain.

Cell

The smallest, basic unit of life; a tiny “bag” that can breathe, feed and reproduce.

Unicellular Organism

A living thing made of one single cell, e.g., a bacterium or paramecium.

Multicellular Organism

A living thing composed of many cells, e.g., a human, dog or tree.

Tissue

A group of similar cells that work together to perform the same job.

Organ

A body part made of several tissues that carries out a special function, such as the heart or brain.

System / Apparatus

A group of organs working together to perform an important body function, e.g., digestive or respiratory system.

Organism

A complete living being with all its systems functioning together.

Individual

One single living organism considered by itself.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same place at the same time.

Community

All the different populations of various species that live together in one area.

Ecosystem

Living organisms plus non-living factors in an area and the relationships among them.

Biosphere

The collection of all Earth’s ecosystems; the global zone where life exists.

Taxonomy

The science of naming, describing and classifying living things.

Species

The smallest taxonomic category; organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Genus

A taxonomic level grouping several closely related species.

Family

A taxonomic category that contains one or more genera with shared traits.

Order

A taxonomic rank that groups related families together.

Phylum (Filo) / Division

A taxonomic level that unites several related orders; called Division in plants.

Kingdom

A high taxonomic rank grouping many phyla or divisions, e.g., Animalia.

Domain

The broadest taxonomic category, grouping several kingdoms.

Kingdom Monera

Prokaryotic, unicellular organisms without a nucleus, i.e., bacteria.

Kingdom Protista

Mostly unicellular organisms with a nucleus; includes amoebas and microscopic algae.

Kingdom Fungi

Unicellular or multicellular organisms that absorb nutrients by decomposing matter, e.g., molds, yeasts, mushrooms.

Kingdom Plantae

Multicellular, non-moving organisms that make food by photosynthesis, e.g., trees, flowers.

Kingdom Animalia

Multicellular organisms that move and consume other organisms for food, e.g., humans, dogs, birds.

Domain Bacteria

One of the three domains; includes all typical bacteria in Kingdom Monera.

Domain Archaea

Domain of prokaryotes that live in extreme environments and differ from bacteria chemically.

Domain Eukarya

Domain containing all organisms with cells that have a nucleus: protists, fungi, plants and animals.

Food Chain

A model that shows who eats whom in nature and how energy flows through living things.

Producer

An organism (usually a plant or alga) that makes its own food using sunlight.

Primary Consumer

An herbivore that eats producers directly, e.g., a rabbit or cow.

Secondary Consumer

A small carnivore that eats primary consumers, e.g., a snake eating a mouse.

Tertiary Consumer

A large carnivore at the top of the food chain that eats secondary consumers, e.g., an eagle or lion.

Decomposer

An organism, such as a fungus or bacterium, that breaks down dead plants and animals, recycling nutrients.