Chapter Ten 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
Describes 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 only animals
Omnivore
An organism that eats both plants and animals.
Food Chain
The pathwat if 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 that is killed and eaten by another organism
Predator
An organism that eats all or part of another organism
Symbiosis
A relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other
Mutualism
A relationship between two species in which both species benefit
Commensalism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Parasitism
A relationship between two species in which one species, the parasites, benefits from the other species, the host, which is harmed
Coevolution
The evolution of two species that is due to mutual influence, often in a way that makes the relationship more beneficial to both species
