Prey: (n.) Animal species eaten by others. Predator: (adjective: predatory) A creature that preys on other animals for most or all of its food. The largest animal in the world, the blue whale, lives on plankton. Although an individual plankter is very small, these organisms often form massive colonies, numbering in the billions. Depending on the species, plankton range from microscopic sizes to organisms about the size of a flea. plankter) Small organisms that largely drift or float in the sea. Nutrient: A vitamin, mineral, fat, carbohydrate or protein that a plant, animal or other organism requires as part of its food in order to survive. Marine: Having to do with the ocean world or environment. Link: A connection between two people or things. There are hundreds of thousands of insects, which include bees, beetles, flies and moths. Insect: A type of arthropod that as an adult will have six segmented legs and three body parts: a head, thorax and abdomen. Member organisms depend on others within this network as a source of food. The newer type is not necessarily more “advanced,” just better adapted to the particular conditions in which it developed.įood web: (also known as a food chain) The network of relationships among organisms sharing an ecosystem. These changes usually result in a new type of organism better suited for its environment than the earlier type. to evolve) A process by which species undergo changes over time, usually through genetic variation and natural selection. Examples include tropical reefs, rainforests, alpine meadows and polar tundra. The term can also be applied to elements that make up some an artificial environment, such as a company, classroom or the internet.Įvolution: (v. Some sewage-treatment plants harness microbes to digest - or degrade - wastes so that the breakdown products can be recycled for use elsewhere in the environment.Įcosystem: A group of interacting living organisms - including microorganisms, plants and animals - and their physical environment within a particular climate. defensive)ĭigest: (noun: digestion) To break down food into simple compounds that the body can absorb and use for growth. Thanks to its predator/prey relationship with ants, the Australian ant-slayer spider ( Euryopis umbilicata) evolved a cool somersault technique for capturing prey.Ĭheck out the full list of Scientists Say.ĭefense: (in biology) A natural protective action taken or chemical response that occurs when a species confronts predators or agents that might harm it. And millions of years ago, the need to escape marine predators likely helped drive some species from water to land. Many plants have toxins, spines or other defenses that make eating them unpleasant. The nimble impala can make a hard swerve that leaves behind the cheetah. But prey have evolved ways to avoid being eaten. For example, the cheetah’s powerful body can out-race its impala prey. Over time, predators adapt to better catch prey. Predators and prey drive each other’s evolution. For example, a Venus flytrap ( Dionaea muscipula) snares flies in its leafy jaws and digests them. But plants can also play the role of the predator. A rabbit chomping on grass is a predator, while the grass is its prey. So in those cases, the salmon plays the role of predator.Īnimals aren’t the only predators and prey. They snack on plankton, insects and other small critters. These links move energy and nutrients through an ecosystem.Ī bear fishing salmon from a river is one example of a predator/prey relationship. Predator/prey relationships are important links in food webs. The predator is the species that does the eating. In this relationship, one species eats the other. The words “predator” and “prey” describe the roles in a relationship between two species. Predator and Prey, (nouns, “PREH-duh-tor” and “PRAY”)
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