Food Web


Glossary

B

bacteria
 - microscopic living organisms which can cause illness, participate in fermentation or decompose
bison
 - large animal related to the cow found in North American plains

C

cannibals
 - any life form that eats its own kind
carbon dioxide
 - a gas that plants use in the making of food
carnivores
 - animals that eat other animal life
circulating
 - to move in a circular pattern
crayfish
 - a freshwater creature smaller but similar to a lobster

D

decomposer
 - a life form that breaks down dead plant and animal tissues into simpler substances
decomposition
 - the process done by the decomposer
dependent
 - relying on something else to complete a task

E

energy
 - the ability to work

F

food chain
 - a system that carries energy through living organisms
fungi
 - a living organism from the family that includes molds, mushrooms, and yeasts

H

herbivores
 - animals that eat plants

I

illness
 - unwell - to be sick

L

larvae
 - the young of certain organisms

M

maggots
 - the young of certain flies
microbes
 - microscopic living organisms
minerals
 - a type of matter that is neither plant nor animal and is often found in soil

N

nutrients
 - matter that gives nourishment

O

omnivore
 - animals that eat both plants and animals

P

photosynthesis
 - the process plants use to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into sugar energy
predators
 - animals who hunt their food
primary consumers
 - the first level of the food chain after producer - an herbivore or omnivore which eats plant life
process
 - a series of actions in a system
produce
 - to cause
producers
 - plants are the producers in the food chain because they are the cause of passing food energy

S

scavengers
 - an animal or other organism that does not kill its own food, but eats off of food left by other forms of life
secondary consumer
 - a carnivore or omnivore which eats primary consumers
shrew
 - small rodent similar to a mouse or rat
survival
 - to continue to live

T

tertiary
 - third in order, rank, level, stage, formation, etc

W

wild
 - in the natural part of the world - not cared for by humans