Science Study Guide
Section B Chapter 3
ecosystem – all living and nonliving things in a place
community – all of the living things in a community (many different
populations living in the same place
population – all of the members of a single type of organism
habitat – where a living thing gets all it needs to live
producer – organisms that make their own food (plants)
consumer – organisms that eat producers
food chain – a series of organisms that depend on one another for food (begins
with a producer)
decomposer – an organism that breaks down dead plant and animal material and
recycles it
food web – made up of several different food chains
energy pyramid – a diagram that shows how energy moves through an ecosystem
predator – animals that hunt for food
prey – animals hunted by predators
herbivore - organism that eats plants (cows)
carnivore - organism that eats animals (lions)
omnivore - organism that eats plants and animals (bears)
Concepts –
1. What makes up an ecosystem? An ecosystem is made up of all living and
nonliving things in a place
2. Can you name a community? Examples of communities are the forest, ocean,
desert, pond, or tundra.
3. Can you name 3 populations in a desert community? Some populations in a
desert community are cacti, roadrunners, snakes,lizards, paloverde trees,
kangaroo rats, scorpions, and bacteria.
4. What would be a bird’s habitat? A bird’s habitat would be the tree or
nest.
5. In what community might you find moss, snails, water bugs, lily pads,
frogs, turtles, and fish? I would find these populations in a pond
community.
6. What does food give us? Food gives us energy.
7. What does a producer use to make food? A producer uses water, air, and
the sun’s energy.
8. Can you name 2 examples of producers? Examples of producers are trees,
grass, flowers, and plants.
9. What does a food chain begin with? A food chain begins with a producer.
What comes after that? Next are the consumers.
10. Bacteria and fungi (like mushrooms) break down dead things and recycle
them. What do we call bacteria and fungi? Bacteria and fungi are called
decomposers.
11. Food webs are made of many food chains. They are connected. Can you
explain what that means? An animal from one food chain might decide to
eat a plant or animal from another food chain in the community. This
shows that the food chains are connected. This shows the food web.
12. In an energy pyramid, the lowest level has the most organisms. Why? The
lowest level of an energy pyramid has the most organisms because
that level starts the pyramid. All the levels that come after it depend
on the producer level.
13. How do we help plants? How do plants help us? We help plants by giving
off carbon dioxide. Plants help us by giving off oxygen.
14. Predators are needed in every community. Why are they important?
Predators are important because without them certain populations would
get too big and would begin to die off. This would hurt other
populations.
15. How do populations affect each other? Populations help each other be
safe, find food, and keep clean.
