Chapter 22 - Populations & Communities Flashcards
Define: Habitat
A place where an organism lives
Define: Species
A group of organisms that are able to interbreed and produce fertile offspring OR
a group of organisms that share a common gene pool
Define: Population
A group of organisms of the same species living together
Define: Community
A group of organisms of a different species living together in an area
Define: Ecosystem
includes both living inhabitants and non living surroundings
Define: Autotroph/producer
organisms that make their own food
Define: Heterotroph/consumer
eat other organisms
What does a trophic level show?
an animals position in the food chain
Describe decomposers
organisms that break down dead matter, releasing organic nutrients can be used by other plants, recycle nutrients
work faster in areas with high temp & humidity
Accumulative poison
DDT (insecticide) top order consumers may have it accumulated due to large no. of organisms they have eaten
Biotic factors that affect communities
competition for food competition for water predators in the area amount of prey available some organisms can control the chemical environment
Abiotic factors that affect communities
pH of soil mineral composition of soil frequency of fires/frosts/floods salinity levels turbidity of water temp rainfall
Example of a community boundary
dune system
Define: resources
anything obtained from environment and used, can be recycled, eg nesting sites, burrows, includes elements (C, N, Phos)
