Chapter 1- Interactions of Living Things Flashcards
ecology
the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their environment
biotic
describes living factors in the environment
abiotic
describe the nonliving part of the environment, including water, rocks, light, and temperature
population
a group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area
community
all the populations of species that live in the same habitat and interact with each other
ecosystem
a community of organisms and their abiotic environment
biosphere
the part of Earth where life exists
herbivore
an organism that eats only plants
carnivore
an organism that eats animals
omnivore
an organism that eats both plants and animals
food chain
the pathway of energy transfer through various stages as a result of the feeding patterns of a series of organisms
food web
a diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem
energy pyramid
a triangular diagram that shows an ecosystem’s loss of energy, which results as energy passes through the ecosystem’s food chain
carrying capacity
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time
prey
an organism killed and eaten by another organism
