adaptations and diversity Flashcards
Abiotic
Non-living factors that influence an ecosystem
biotic
Living factors that influence an ecosystem.
biotic examples
Plants – Trees, grasses, flowers, and algae.
Animals – Mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and insects.
Microorganisms – Bacteria, fungi, and protists.
Humans
Decomposer -worms, fungi
abiotic examples
Water – Lakes, rivers, oceans, and rainfall.
Temperature, Sunlight, Soil, Air, Rocks and minerals
Climate – Overall weather patterns, humidity and wind.
Abundance
The quantity of a particular species present in a given area.
Adaptation
feature of an organism that makes it better suited to its environment
parasitism
one organism benefits, one is harmed (dog and ticks)
commensalism
one organism benefits, one organism is unaffected (clown fish and anemone)
mutualism
both organisms benefit (hummingbird and flower)
Behavioural adaptation
A change in behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment (birdcalls, migration)
Autotroph
An organism that produces its own food from inorganic substances.
Carrying capacity
The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can support.
Community
A group of different species living together in a defined area.
Density
The number of individuals per unit area or volume.
Distribution
The way in which a species is spread out across a given area.
Ecological niche
The role and position a species has in its environment.
Ecosystem
A community of living organisms and their interactions with their environment.
Ectotherm
An animal whose body temperature is determined by the environment. (reptiles)
Endotherm
An animal that maintains a constant body temperature regardless of the environment. (animals, humans)
Food web
A complex network of feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem.
Exponential growth
Growth that occurs when resources are unlimited, leading to a rapid increase in population size.
Heterotroph
An organism that obtains its food by consuming other living things.
Immigration
The act of coming to live permanently in a foreign country.
Physiological adaptation
A physical or biochemical change in an organism that enhances its survival.
Structural adaptation
A physical feature of an organism that enhances its survival.
Predator
An organism that hunts and eats other organisms.
prey
An organism that is hunted and eaten by a predator.
