Ch. 4 Key Terms Flashcards
ecosystem
a community of organisms and their abiotic environment
biotic factor
an environmental factor that is associated with or results from the activities of living organisms
abiotic factor
describes the nonliving part of the environment, including water, rocks, light, and temperature
organism
a living thing; anything that can carry out life processes independently
species
a group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring
population
a group of the same species that live in the same place
community
a group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other
habitat
The place an organism lives
natural selection
the process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce with more success than less well adapted individuals do
evolution
A change in the genetic characteristics of a population from one generation to the next
adaptation
an inherited trait that increases an organism’s chance of survival and reproduction in a certain environment
artificial selection
The selective breeding of organisms by humans for specific characteristics
resistance
the ability of one or more organisms to tolerate a particular chemical designed to kill it
archaea
often found in extreme places, such as hot springs. They differ from bacteria in their genetics and the makeup of their cell wall
bacteria
very common and can be found in many places, including soil and animal bodies
