Ecosystems

2. a linear sequence in an ecosystem that shows how energy and nutrients are transferred when one organism eats another, starting with producers (like plants) and moving through various consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores) up to apex predators or decomposers
6. an organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate that breaks down organic matter
7. materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.
9. a complex network showing the intersecting food chains within an ecosystem, illustrating how energy and nutrients are transferred between organisms through a series of feeding relationships
10. the process used by plants, algae, and some bacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose (sugar), using carbon dioxide and water, and releasing oxygen as a byproduct
11. is an organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms or organic matter because it cannot produce its own food
12. a biogeochemical cycle describing the continuous movement of water through Earth's atmosphere, oceans, land, and living organisms

1. an organism that primarily consumes meat or animal flesh for its nutrition and energy
3. the struggle between organisms, or populations, for limited resources like food, water, shelter, or mates, which results in one or both organisms being harmed or negatively impacted
4. a distinct geographic area where living organisms (biotic factors) interact with each other and their physical, non-living environment (abiotic factors) as a functioning system
5. an animal that feeds on plants or plant-based materials as its primary source of energy and nutrients
8. is an organism that creates its own food, typically through photosynthesis, using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce energy-rich organic compounds like carbohydrates