Chapter 3.2: Energy, Producers, and Consumers

Explain how consumers obtain energy.

Consumers obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

How are detritivores different from decomposers? Provide an example of each.

Detritivores commonly digest decomposers. Some decomposers are bacteria and fungi, and an example of a detritivore is a giant earthworm.

Propose a question that a scientist might ask about the variety of organisms found around deep-sea vents.

Do all deep-sea organisms use chemosynthesis?

What are the 2 primary sources of energy that power living systems?

The 2 primary sources of energy that power living systems are photosynthesis and chemosynthesis.

chemosyntesis

a process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates

decomposers

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients by chemically breaking down organic matter

scavengers

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients by consuming the carcasses of other animals that have been killed by predators or have died of other causes

herbivores

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients by eating plant leaves, fruits, or seeds

detritivores

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients by feeding on detritus particles, often chewing or grinding them into even smaller pieces

carnivores

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients that kill and eat other animals

omnivores

organisms that obtain energy and nutrients whose diets naturally include a variety of different foods that usually include both plants and other animals

consumers

organisms that rely on other organisms for energy and nutrients

primary producers

the 1st producers of energy-rich compounds that are later used by other organisms

heterotrophs

the organisms that acquire energy from other organisms, also called consumers

autotrophs

the organisms that use solar or chemical energy to produce "food" by assembling inorganic compounds into complex organic molecules, feeding themselves, also called primary producers

photosynthesis

the process that captures light energy and uses it to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-rich carbohydrates such as sugars and starches