Science Article Cloze Worksheet

Name: _________________________

Date: _________________________

Read the passage below and fill in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the word bank.

Word Bank

herbivores energy producers oxygen consumers photosynthesis decomposers nutrients predators carbon dioxide ecosystem food chain

Understanding Ecosystems

An is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment. Within any ecosystem, organisms are connected through a , which shows how flows from one organism to another.

At the base of most food chains are plants, known as . These organisms make their own food through a process called . During this process, plants absorb from the air and water from the soil. Using sunlight as energy, they produce glucose and release into the atmosphere.

Animals that eat plants are called . These primary obtain their energy by feeding on producers. In turn, they may be eaten by , which are carnivores that hunt other animals.

When plants and animals die, such as bacteria and fungi break down their remains. This process returns important to the soil, which helps new plants grow and continues the cycle of life.