Question

vocabulary list - unit 2
1 biome: a large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region defined by its climate and dominant
2 producer: an organism that can make its own food through
3 consumer: an organism that obtains energy by on other organisms.
4 primary consumer: an organism that feeds directly on
5 secondary consumer: an organism that feeds on
6 tertiary consumer: an organism that feeds on
7 decomposer: an organism that breaks down and , returning nutrients to the ecosystem.
8 trophic level: each step in a food chain or food web, representing the transfer of and
9 energy pyramid: a diagram that shows the amount of or at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
10 biomass: the total of living organisms in a given area or ecosystem.
11 ecological succession: the gradual process of change in the ological community over time.

Explanation:

To solve this vocabulary fill - in, we refer to basic ecological concepts:

1. Biome

A biome is a large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region defined by its climate and dominant vegetation. (Biomes are characterized by the type of plants that grow there, which is influenced by climate. For example, a tropical rainforest biome has lush, broad - leafed vegetation.)

2. Producer

A producer is an organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis (or chemosynthesis, but photosynthesis is the most common way for producers like plants to make food. Plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen).

3. Consumer

A consumer is an organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms. (Consumers cannot make their own food like producers, so they have to eat other living things to get energy.)

4. Primary Consumer

A primary consumer is an organism that feeds directly on producers (Primary consumers are herbivores in most cases. For example, a rabbit is a primary consumer as it eats grass, which is a producer).

5. Secondary Consumer

A secondary consumer is an organism that feeds on primary consumers (These are usually carnivores or omnivores that eat herbivores. For example, a fox that eats a rabbit (a primary consumer) is a secondary consumer).

6. Tertiary Consumer

A tertiary consumer is an organism that feeds on secondary consumers (They are at a higher trophic level, feeding on other carnivores. For example, a wolf that eats a fox (a secondary consumer) can be a tertiary consumer).

7. Decomposer

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead organisms and waste products, returning nutrients to the ecosystem. (Decomposers like bacteria and fungi break down the remains of dead plants and animals and also the waste materials of living organisms, releasing nutrients back into the soil or water for producers to use again.)

8. Trophic Level

Each step in a food chain or food web, representing the transfer of energy and nutrients. (As you move up the trophic levels in a food chain, energy is transferred from one level to the next, and nutrients also move through the different organisms in the chain or web.)

9. Energy Pyramid

A diagram that shows the amount of energy (or biomass) at each trophic level in an ecosystem. (The energy pyramid is shaped like a pyramid because energy is lost at each trophic level, usually as heat, so there is less energy available at higher trophic levels. Biomass can also be represented in a similar pyramid - shaped diagram as the amount of living matter generally decreases with increasing trophic level.)

10. Biomass

The total mass of living organisms in a given area or ecosystem. (Biomass is a measure of the amount of living material, and it can be used to understand the productivity and energy - holding capacity of an ecosystem.)

11. Ecological Succession

The gradual process of change in the species composition of an ecological community over time. (Ecological succession can be primary (starting from bare rock) or secondary (starting from a disturbed area like after a forest fire), and it involves the change in the types of species that live in an area over time.)

Answer:

s:

1. vegetation
2. photosynthesis
3. feeding
4. producers
5. primary consumers
6. secondary consumers
7. dead organisms; waste products
8. energy; nutrients
9. energy; biomass
10. mass
11. species composition