13. Vocabulary
Ecosystem
Interacting groups of species and their physical environment
Autotroph
Are photosynthetic and make their own food
Heterotroph
Can’t make their own food and must eat to live
Trophic Level
Feeding level, an organism’s position in a pyramid or chain
Herbivore
Primary consumers that eat plants only
Carnivore
Secondary and tertiary consumers that eat just meat
Omnivore
Eat both plants and animals
Detrivore
Return organic materials to the environment by breaking down dead organisms
Energy Pyramid
Organization of a food chain illustrating the energy available (and lost) at each level
Abiotic
Non-living things
Biotic
Living things
Biomass
The weight of each trophic level