6 - MZH - Ecosystems definitions Flashcards
Species
A group of organisms sharing a large number of common features, which are capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring
Habitat
The place where a community is found
Ecology
The study of interactions between organisms and between their environment
Population
All the organisms of one species living in the same area. Males and femailes ina population can interbreed
Niche
The role of a species in a community
The role refers to it’s position in the food chain and how it interacts with the environment with other species
Community
Total of all the populations living in a ecosystem
Ecosystem
All the organisms living in a particular area and all the abiotic conditions found there
Producer
Organism that converts simple inorganic compounds (e.g. CO2, H2O and ions) into complex organic molecules generally using sunlight
Consumer
An organism that gains energy and nutrients from feeding on another organism
Autotrophic nutrition
Converting energy of sunlight → chemical potential energy in complex organic molecules
- Done by plants
Autotroph
Organism who’s method of nutrition is autotrophic nutrition
Heterotrophic nutrition
Form of nutrition carried out by consumers in which an organism gains its nutritients by eating other organisms
Heterotoph
Organisms that aquire nutrition by the ingestion of other organisms
Decomposer
Organisms that bread down dead + decaying material turing the organisc molecules into inorganic ones
Environment
The biotic and abiotic conditions surrounding an organism
Abiotic factors
Non-living parts of the environment
Biotic factors
Caused by other living organisms
Interaction
When’s the behaviour of one organism affects the behaviour of another
Interspecific
Intraspecific
Intraspecific = Between oeganisms of the same species
Interspecific = Between organisms of different species
Edaphic factor
An abiotic factor relating to the soil e.g. pH
Food web
A diagram showing how all the members of a community depend on each other for food
Food chain
A linear sequence of organisms, each feeding on the previous member. Food chains never exist in isolation in mature
Primary consumer
Consumers that feed directly on plants (herbivores)
Secondary consumer
Consumers that feed on herbivores (carnivores)
Tertiary consumer
Consumers that feed on secondary consumer (top carnivores)
Omnivore
Consumers that feed on both carnivores and herbivores
Detrivore
Animals that feed on detriels (dead + decaying materil) e.g. earthworms
