Living in the Environment 16th Ed. : Ch.3 Key Terms

Chapter 3 abiotic Two types of components make up the biosphere and its ecosystems: One type, called abiotic, consists of nonliving components such as water, air, nutrients, rocks, heat, and solar energy. aerobic respiration Producers, consumers, and decomposers use the chemical energy stored in glucose and other organic compounds to fuel their life processes. In most cells this energy is released by aerobic respiration, which uses oxygen to convert glucose (or other organic nutrient molecules) back into carbon dioxide and water. anaerobic respiration, or fermentation Some decomposers get the energy they need by breaking down glucose (or other organic compounds) in the?absence?of oxygen. This form of cellular respiration is called anaerobic respiration, or fermentation.