Famous Islands and Ecosystem Fundamentals

Vocabulary flashcards covering Snake Island, Island of the Dolls, and key science concepts in ecosystems and food webs.

Snake Island

An uninhabited island in Brazil with a large population of venomous snakes that requires permission to visit.

Golden lancehead viper

A dangerous species of venomous snake for which Snake Island is especially known.

Island of the Dolls

An island in Mexico famous for its collection of dolls and doll parts, known today as a strange and creepy tourist attraction.

Don Julian Santana Barrera

The man who spent about 50 years collecting and hanging dolls all over Island of the Dolls.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with each other and with their physical environment.

Biotic factors

The living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Abiotic factors

The non-living components of an ecosystem, such as temperature, light, water, and soil.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food, usually through photosynthesis, forming the starting point of most food chains.

Photosynthesis

The process through which producers usually make their own food.

Consumers

Organisms that obtain energy by eating other organisms.

Primary consumers

Consumers that obtain energy by eating producers.

Secondary consumers

Consumers that obtain energy by eating primary consumers.

Food chain

A sequence showing how energy passes from one organism to another, where arrows represent energy transfer to the consumer.

Food web

A network consisting of several interconnected food chains, providing a realistic picture because most organisms eat more than one type of food.

Bioaccumulation

The gradual build-up of a substance inside an organism because it is absorbed faster than it can be removed.

Biodiversity

The variety of living organisms present in an area.