Ch. 4 Key Terms Flashcards
Ecosystem
Is all of the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment.
Biotic factor
All of the organisms, including animals, fungi, bacteria, and plants
Abiotic factor
Are the nonliving parts of the ecosystem, including air, water, rocks, sand, light, and temperature.
Organism
An individual living thing. You are an organism, as is an ant crawling across the floor, an ivy plant on the windowsill, and a bacterium in your intestines.
Species
A group of organisms that can mate to produce fertile offspring.
Population
Is 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.
Arachaea
Are often found in extreme places, such as hot springs. They differ from bacteria in their genetics and the makeup of their cell wall.
Bacteria
Are very common and can be found in many places, including soil and animal bodies.
