Ecosystems (Unit 2, Lesson 1)

biome

A group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms

biotic

living

abiotic

nonliving

habitat

The place where an organism lives

limiting factors

Factors that limit how many organisms can live in an environment

predator

An animal that hunts other animals for food

prey

an animal that is eaten by a predator

producer

organisms that make their own food using energy from the sun and raw materials from the environment

consumer

Any organism that gets its food by eating other organisms

Decomposer

Animal that feeds on and breaks down the dead remains of other organisms

scavenger

A carnivore that feeds on the bodies of dead organisms

food chain

A series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten

food web

A system of several overlapping food chains

trait

A characteristic that an organism can pass on to its offspring through its genes.

factor

something that contributes to a result