Ecosystems

Ecosystem All the living organisms and their physical and chemical environment Ex. The school courtyard

Population All the members of a species living in the same ecosystem Ex. All the rabbits living in the school courtyard.

Community The collection of all populations of all species in an ecosystem. Ex. All the rabbits, beetles, plants living in the school courtyard.

Ecologist A person who studies How different animals in a community are connected to one another. How an organism interacts with its physical environment.

Food Chain A diagram showing the movement of energy between biotic factors in an ecosystem.

FOOD CHAINS

Roles in a Food Chain PRODUCER: An organism that makes it’s own food from sunlight (usually a plant)

CONSUMER: An organism that must consume other organisms for energy (all animals are consumers)

HERBIVORE: An organism that consumes only plants for food (deer, mice, grasshopper, gorilla)

CARNIVORE: An organism that consumes only other animals for food (cats, owls, sharks, polar bear) A.K.A. – A Secondary Consumer

OMNIVORE: An organism that can eat either plants or animals for energy (humans, raccoons, black bears, chimpanzees)

DECOMPOSER: An organism that consumes only dead organisms for food (bacteria, worms, fungus, vultures)

HABITAT: The area in which an organism lives, including the space, water and food available, vegetation and soil types