Unit 6: Ecosystems

Population

A Group of the same type of organism

Predator

A consumer that hunts another consumer for food

Prey

A consumer that is hunted by another consumer

Brackish

A mixture of saltwater and fresh water.

Ecosystem

All the living things in an area and their habitat

Scavenger

An organism that feeds on dead organisms

Omnivore

Animals that eat both plants and meat

Carnivore

Animals that eat only meat

Herbivore

Animals that eat only plants

Organism

Any living things like plants and animals

Marine

Aquatic ecosystem like an ocean and sea that have a very high salt content

Tundra

Biome located near the north and south poles where the ground is permanently frozen

Tropical Forest

Biome with abundant rainfall and constant temperatures (rainforest)

Community

Interaction of all the living things in an area

Grassland

Large flat biome covered mostly with tall grass and few trees

Biotic Factors

Living parts of an ecosystem

Producer

Living things (plants) that make their own food

Consumer

Living things that eat producers and/or other consumers

Food Web

Model that shows several food chains linked together

Abiotic Factors

Non-living parts of an ecosystem

Deciduous/Temperate Forest

Only biome that experiences all seasons, high rainfall and tree coverage

Decomposer

Organisms that break down dead plants or animals and return their nutrients to the soil

Food Chain

Path of energy from the sun, producer, consumer, and decomposer

Habitat

Physical place where an organism lives or its shelter

Estuary

Place where fresh and saltwater meet in a coastal area

Sun

Primary energy source in a food chain

Desert

Sandy biome with little rainfall and extreme temperature changes

Energy Pyramid

Shows that less and less food and energy are available as you go from the base of the pyramid to the top

Freshwater

Streams, lakes, ponds, rivers, lakes and marshes with low level salt content

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The job or role an organism plays in a habitat

Aquatic

To live in the water instead of on the land or in the air

Terrestrial

To live or grow on the land instead of the air or water