Ch. 3 Vocab Rev.

3. illustrated of the relative amounts of energy matter contained within each trophic level in a given food chain or web
5. photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean
8. process of converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds that plants can absorb and use.
9. process by which bacteria converts nitrates into nitrogen gas
10. total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level
12. single essential nutrient that limits productivity in an ecosystem.
16. all life on earth and all parts include land, water, and the atmosphere.
18. the first producers of energy compounds that are used later for other organisms.
20. a group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.
21. series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.
25. network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem.
26. organism that relies on other organisms for its energy and food supply
27. any living part of the environment which an organism might interact with.
29. the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their physical environment.
30. each step in a food chain or web
32. process by which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another

1. organism that obtains food by eating plants and animals.
2. small free-floating animals that form a part of plankton
4. organism that breaks down and obtains energy from dead organic matter
6. organism that obtains food from consuming other living things
7. organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead meats.
11. any nonliving part of the environment an organism might interact with.
13. process which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates
14. animal that consumes the carcasses of other animals
15. a group of similar organisms that can breed and produce offspring
17. an organism that captures its energy from the sun or chemicals and uses it to produce their own food.
19. assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area.
22. chemical substance that an organism needs to sustain life
23. all the organisms that live in a place together with their nonliving environment.
24. process used by plants to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates by using energy from the sun
27. a group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
28. an organism that obtains energy by eating animals.
31. organism that obtains energy from eating only plants