Ecosystem Vocabulary

2. A community of living organisms (biotic) interacting with their non-living (abiotic) environment.
6. An animal that feeds on plants.
9. Webs: A complex network of interconnected food chains showing feeding relationships.
12. Factors: Non-living physical components, such as sunlight, temperature, and water.
14. Factors: Living components of an ecosystem, such as animals, plants, and bacteria.
16. The surroundings in which an organism lives, including living and non-living components.
17. An organism, usually a plant, that produces its own energy.

1. Consumer: An organism that feeds on producers; an herbivore.
3. Capacity: The maximum population size an environment can sustain.
4. A group of organisms capable of breeding to produce fertile offspring.
5. A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.
7. An animal that feeds on other animals.
8. Interaction between organisms striving for the same limited resources.
10. An individual living thing.
11. Factor: An environmental resource or condition that restricts the population growth of an organism.
13. An organism that eats both plants and animals.
15. Chains: A linear sequence showing how energy is transferred through feeding.