16 flashcards · Shared on 19 August 2026 by AtomAI Library
Flip each card to check yourself.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of organisms and the non-living parts of their environment
What is an ecosystem?
A community of organisms and the non-living parts of their environment
Which term describes all the populations of different species living and interacting in an area?
Community
What do arrows in a food chain represent?
The transfer of energy and biomass between organisms
In a food chain, what is a producer?
An organism that makes organic substances from simple inorganic substances
Which process provides the energy used by most producers to make organic molecules?
Photosynthesis
What is a primary consumer?
An organism that feeds directly on a producer
Why does less energy reach each successive trophic level?
Some energy is released as heat through respiration and lost in waste material
Why are food webs often more useful than single food chains?
They show how several feeding relationships are interconnected
Which organisms are decomposers?
Microorganisms that break down dead organisms and waste
How do decomposers help recycle nutrients in an ecosystem?
They release mineral nutrients from dead material and waste
Which process removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?
Photosynthesis
How is carbon in living organisms commonly returned to the atmosphere?
By respiration, which releases carbon dioxide
What effect does combustion of fossil fuels have on the carbon cycle?
It transfers carbon from long-term stores to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
What is the role of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?
They convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds that can enter biological systems
How do plants obtain the nitrogen needed to make amino acids and proteins?
By absorbing nitrate or other available nitrogen ions through their roots
Which sequence correctly describes part of the water cycle?
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation