 | Term | Definition |
| |
producer |
organism that makes its own food (autotroph) and produces organic molecules that serve as food for other organisms in its ecosystem |
| |
consumer |
organism that obtains food by eating producers (autotrophs) or other consumers |
| |
decomposer |
organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms |
| |
trophic level |
feeding level in an ecosystem |
| |
food chain |
pathway of food transfer from one trophic level to another |
| |
herbivore |
consumer that eats only producers |
| |
carnivore |
consumer that eats only other consumers |
| |
omnivore |
consumer that eats both producers and consumers |
| |
primary consumer |
consumer that feeds directly on producers |
| |
secondary consumer |
consumer that eats primary consumers |
| |
tertiary consumer |
consumer that eats secondary consumers |
| |
detritus |
wastes and remains of dead organisms |
| |
food web |
pattern of feeding in an ecosystem consisting of interconnected and branching food chains |
| |
biomass |
organic material manufactured by producers |
| |
primary productivity |
rate at which producers in an ecosystem build biomass |
| |
energy pyramid |
diagram representing energy loss from one trophic level to the next |
| |
biomass pyramid |
diagram representing the biomass in each trophic level of an ecosystem |
| |
pyramid of numbers |
representation of the number of individual organisms in each trophic level of an ecosystem |
| |
nitrogen fixation |
process by which certain bacteria convert nitrogen gas to ammonia |
| |
nitrification |
process by which certain bacteria convert ammonium to nitrates |
| |
transpiration |
evaporation of water from a plant's leaves |
| |
deforestation |
clearing of forests for agriculture, lumber, or other uses |
| |
greenhouse effect |
process by which atmospheric gases trap heat close to Earth's surface and prevent it from escaping into space |
| |
global warming |
rise in Earth's average temperature |
| |
eutrophication |
rapid growth of algae in bodies of water, due to high levels of nitrogen and often phosphate |
| |
acid rain |
precipitation that contains nitric and/or sulfuric acids |
| |
pollution |
addition of substances to the environment that result in a negative effect |
| |
biological magnification |
process by which pollutants become more concentrated in successive trophic levels of a food web |
| |
ozone |
atmospheric gas (O3) that absorbs ultraviolet radiation, shielding organisms from its damaging effects |
| |
biodiversity |
variety of life on Earth |
| |
overexploitation |
practice of harvesting or hunting to such a degree that remaining individuals may not be able to replenish the population |
| |
conservation biology |
application of biology to counter the loss of biodiversity |
| |
zoned reserve |
area of land that is relatively undisturbed by humans and is surrounded by buffer zones that are minimally impacted by humans |
| |
buffer zone |
area of a reserve that is minimally impacted by humans |
| |
sustainable development |
use of natural resources in a way that allows them to renew themselves and be available for the future |
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