Ch. 4 Key Terms Flashcards
ecosystem
all of the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment
biotic factor
the living and once living parts of an ecosystem, including all of the plants and animals
abiotic factor
the nonliving parts of the ecosystem; includes air, water, rocks, sand, light, and temperature
organism
an individual living thing
species
a group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring
population
all the members of the same species that live in the same place at the same time
community
a group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other
habitat
a place an organism lives in
natural selection
the survival and reproduction of organisms with particular traits
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
archea
often found in extreme places
bacteria
very common and can be found in soil and animal bodies
