C4.2 Review: Food Chains, Ecosystems, and Carbon Cycle

Flashcards covering major concepts in food chains, ecosystems, and the carbon cycle to aid in review and exam preparation.

Food Chain

A sequence showing the feeding relationships between organisms and how energy flows among them.

Producer

An organism, usually a plant, that can produce its own food through photosynthesis.

Primary Consumer

The first consumer in a food chain that eats the producer; typically a herbivore.

Secondary Consumer

The second level of consumer in a food chain that eats the primary consumer.

Trophic Levels

Different levels in a food chain, with each level representing a different feeding position.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some bacteria use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot produce its own food and must consume other organisms for energy.

Autotroph

An organism that can produce its own food from inorganic substances; typically a producer.

Decomposers

Organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Energy Flow

The transfer of energy through a food chain, as one organism consumes another.

Carbon Cycle

The process by which carbon is exchanged between the different spheres of the Earth, including the atmosphere, oceans, and living organisms.

Methane

A potent greenhouse gas produced by natural and anthropogenic processes, such as decomposition in wetlands.

Carbon Sink

A natural reservoir that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, such as forests and oceans.

Combustion

The process of burning fossil fuels, releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere.

Keeling Curve

A graph that shows the change in concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere over time.

Peat Bogs

Wetlands that accumulate decayed plant material (peat) in anaerobic conditions, which can be a source of methane.

Cell Respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP), releasing carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

Open Ecosystem

An ecological system where energy and matter can enter and exit, allowing for interactions between organisms from different habitats.

Closed Ecosystem

An ecological system where matter cannot enter or leave, requiring recycling of nutrients within that system.