Answer Key

Vocabulary Practice
A. Synonyms or Antonyms
1. synonym

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

antonym
antonym
synonym
antonym
antonym

B. Stepped-Out Vocabulary

1. A species that has an

unusually large effect on its

ecosystem; its loss greatly
impacts its ecosystem; a
beaver is a keystone species
2. An organism that eats
both plants and animals;
omnivores are often
generalists; most humans
are omnivores
3. An organism that breaks
down organic matter into
smaller compounds; a type
of detritivore; fungi are
decomposers
C. Word Origins
1. the study of our home

(Earth)
2. photosynthesis uses light

3.
4.
5.

6.
7.

8.

energy to join together

chemical compounds to
form carbohydrates
a carnivore eats flesh
an herbivore eats vegetation
a detritivore breaks down
organic matter into smaller
pieces
an omnivore eats all things,
plants and animals
chemosynthesis uses
chemical energy to
join together chemical
compounds to form
carbohydrates
an autotroph makes its own
nourishment

9. a heterotroph eats other

organisms to get its

nourishment
10. a biogeochemical cycle
follows the path of a
chemical in both the living
and geological (or earth)
parts of an ecosystem
11. the hydrologic cycle is the
water cycle
12. mass of living things in a
given area
D. Categorize Words
1. wind, A; sunlight, A; deer,

B
2. soil, A; sunflower, B; water,

A
3. fungus, B; snow, A; eagle,

B
4. temperature, A; prairie dog,
B; frog, B
E. Find the Odd Word

1. plant; a carnivore is a

consumer
2. producer; a decomposer is
a type of detritivore
3. autotroph; both omnivores
and herbivores are
consumers (heterotrophs)
4. keystone species; an energy
pyramid is made up of
different trophic levels

light is used as the energy

source
3. a food chain shows a simple
sequence that links one
producer to one consumer
and so on; a food web
shows the complex network
of feeding relationships
within an ecosystem
4. a community is a group
of different species that
live together in one area;
an ecosystem includes
communities of different
species along with all the
abiotic factors within the
area as well
G. Crossword Puzzle
Across
1. energy pyramid
3. trophic level
6. biogeochemical cycle
7. ecosystem
8. biodiversity
10. biome
Down
2. nitrogen fixation
4. decomposer
5. specialist
6. biomass
7. ecology

F. Whats the Difference?

1. a producer makes its

own food from nonliving

resources; a consumer gets
its energy by eating other
organisms
2. chemosynthesis is
the process by which an
organism forms
carbohydrates by using
chemicals as an energy
source; in photosynthesis,

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Holt McDougal Biology

Principles of Ecology

Name: _____________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________________

CHAPTER

13

PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY

Vocabulary Practice

ecology
community
ecosystem
biome
biotic
abiotic
biodiversity

keystone species
producer
autotroph
consumer
heterotroph
chemosynthesis
food chain

herbivore
carnivore
omnivore
detritivore
decomposer
specialist
generalist

trophic level
food web
biomass
energy pyramid

A. Synonyms or Antonyms Identify the words in each pair as synonyms, which are
words that mean roughly the same thing, or antonyms, which are words that mean roughly the
opposite.
1. producer/autotroph
2. specialist/generalist

3. biotic/abiotic
4. consumer/heterotroph
5. chemosynthesis/photosynthesis

6. herbivore/meat-eater

B. Stepped-Out Vocabulary Define each word. Then write two additional facts that
are related to the word.

WORD

DEFINITION

MORE INFORMATION

Example herbivore

an organism that eats plants

primary consumer
a cow is an herbivore

1. keystone species

2. omnivore

3. decomposer

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Holt McDougal Biology

Principles of Ecology

Name: _____________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________________

VOCABULARY PRACTICE, CONTINUED

C. Word Origins Circle the Greek and Latin word parts in each vocabulary term. Then
use the Greek and Latin meanings to construct a very basic definition of the vocabulary word.
bio-

life

auto-

eco-

home

syn-

-vore

self

carnus =

flesh

hetero- =

different

omnis =

all

together

chemo- =

chemical

detrere =

to wear away

eat

photo- =

light

geo-

earth

-troph =

nourishment

-logy

study of

hydro- =

water

herba =

vegetation

WORD

DEFINITION

1. ecology

2. photosynthesis
3. carnivore
4. herbivore
5. detritivore
6. omnivore
7. chemosynthesis

8. autotroph
9. heterotroph

10. biomass

D. Categorize Words Write A next to words that can describe abiotic factors. Write
B next to words that can describe biotic factors.
1.

wind

sunlight

deer

2.

soil

sunflower

water

3.

fungus

snow

eagle

4.

temperature

prairie dog

frog

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Holt McDougal Biology

Principles of Ecology

Name: _____________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________________

VOCABULARY PRACTICE, CONTINUED

E. Find the Odd Word Place a check mark next to the word that does not belong and
explain why.
1.

consumer

Explanation

carnivore
plant
2.

detritivore

Explanation

producer
decomposer
3.

omnivore

Explanation

autotroph
herbivore
4.

trophic level

Explanation

energy pyramid
keystone species

F. Whats the Difference? For each pair of words below, describe the difference
between the two terms.
1. producer/consumer

2. chemosynthesis/photosynthesis

3. food chain/food web

4. community/ecosystem

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Holt McDougal Biology

Principles of Ecology

Name: _____________________________ Class: _________________ Date: __________________

VOCABULARY PRACTICE, CONTINUED

G. Crossword Puzzle

Use the clues to solve the puzzle.

Across

Down

1. A diagram that compares energy use among

3.
6.
7.
8.
10.

2. The process by which gaseous nitrogen is

trophic levels
Level of nourishment in a food chain
Movement of a particular chemical through
the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem
All of the organisms as well as the abiotic
factors in a given area
The variety of living things in an ecosystem
A major regional or global community of
organisms

1.

4.
5.

6.
7.

converted into ammonia

Detritivore that breaks down organic matter
into simpler compounds
A consumer that primarily eats one specific
organism
The measure of the total dry mass of organisms
in a given area
The study of the interactions among living
things, and between living things and their
surroundings

2.

N
I
3.

T
4.

5.

R
O
6.

E
7.

N
F
8.

9.

I
X
A
T
10.

I
O
N

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Holt McDougal Biology

Principles of Ecology