Chapter 3 Vocabulary

123456789101112131415161718
Across
  1. 3. process of converting nitrogen gas into nitrogen compounds that plans can absorb and use
  2. 5. process by which bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas
  3. 6. process used by plants and other autotrophs to capture light energy and use it to power chemical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy-rich carbohydrates such as sugars and starches
  4. 7. network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem
  5. 8. organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to produce it’s own food from inorganic compounds
  6. 10. organism that obtains food by consuming other living things
  7. 11. model of the relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a given food chain or food web
  8. 14. producer first producer of energy-rich compounds that are later used by other organisms
  9. 15. total amount of living tissue within a given trophic level
  10. 17. chemical substance that an organism needs to sustain life
  11. 18. organism that relies on other organisms for its energy and food supply
Down
  1. 1. a natural feature (such as landmass, forest, or ocean) that stores carbon
  2. 2. single essential nutrient that limits productivity in an ecosystem
  3. 4. process in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one part of the biosphere to another
  4. 7. a series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
  5. 9. process in which chemical energy is used to produce carbohydrates
  6. 12. material made up of decaying bits of plant and animal material
  7. 13. photosynthetic algae found near the surface of the ocean
  8. 16. level each step in a food chain or food web