1. Biomass
The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume.

2. Food Chain
A hierarchical (arranged in order of rank) series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food.

3. Food Web
A system of interlocking and
interdependent food chains.

4. Trophic Level
Each of several hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.

5. Autotrophic
An organism that manufactures its own food from inorganic substances, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia. Most autotrophs, such as green plants, certain algae, and photosynthetic bacteria, use light for energy (from the sun).

6. Heterotrophic
An organism that cannot manufacture its own food and instead obtains its food and energy by taking in organic substances, usually plant or animal matter.

7. Producer
An organism, as a plant, that is able to produce its own food from inorganic substances.

8. consumers
An organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.

9. Herbivores
An animal that feeds on grass and
other plants

10. Carnivores
Any other animal or any plant
that feeds on animals.

11. Omnivores
An organism that eats both
plants and animals.

12. Decomposer
An organism, usually a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down the cells of dead plants and animals into simpler substances.

13. Detritivores
An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, returning essential nutrients to the ecosystem. (Another name for a Decomposer)

14. Interdependence
is mutual dependence between
organisms.

15. Energy transfer
The conversion of one form of energy into another, or the movement of energy from one organism to another.

16. 10% Rule
When energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on.

17. First tropic level (T1): Producer
Plants
(Autotroph)

18. Second tropic level (T2): primary or first order consumers
Plant- eating animal
(herbivore or heterotroph)

19. Third tropic level (T3): secondary consumer
An animal that eats a primary consumer
(heterotroph ; some are omnivores ; some are carnivores)

20. Fourth tropic level (T4): Tertiary consumer
A carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores (only eats secondary consumers). (Also known as heterotroph)