Diversity and Interdependence

The breeding of plants and animals to produce desirable traits

An organism capable of making its own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy. Example: green plants, algae, and certain bacteria.

the total number of species inhabiting a particular environment

an animal that eats other animals

a type of symbiosis where one species obtains shelter, food, or other benefits without affecting the other or host.

a heterotroph; an organism that obtains energy from organic matter

organisms that break down dead organic matter into smaller molecules

the idea that those organisms best adapted to a given environment will be most likely to survive to reproductive age and have offspring of their own

a community or communities plus the physical environment

decrease in energy observed in each higher level of the food chain

The conversion of one form of energy into another, or the movement of energy from one place to another. Solar panels allow for energy transfer from light energy to heat and electrical energy.

a change in the genetic makeup of a species, as a result of natural selection favoring some individual characteristics over others.

the disappearance of a species

the steps of transfer of energy from primary producers through consumers

all of the interconnected feeding relationships in a community