Ch. 4 Key Terms

Question 1

ecosystem

Answer 1

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

Question 2

biotic factor

Answer 2

is any living thing that has an effect on an ecosystem

Question 3

abiotic factor

Answer 3

are non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems

Question 4

organism

Answer 4

an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.

Question 5

species

Answer 5

is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction

Question 6

population

Answer 6

is all the organisms of the same group or species who live in a particular geographical area and are capable of interbreeding

Question 7

community

Answer 7

a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common

Question 8

habitat

Answer 8

the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism

Question 9

natural selection

Answer 9

Natural selection is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals due to differences in phenotype.

Question 10

evolution

Answer 10

Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations

Question 11

adaptation

Answer 11

the action or process of adapting or being adapted

Question 12

artificial selection

Answer 12

is the identification by humans of desirable traits in plants and animals, and the steps taken to enhance and perpetuate those traits in future generations

Question 13

resistance

Answer 13

the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument.