Ecological Terminology Flashcards
What is taxonomy?
The science of classifying organisms due to similarities in their features
What is a species?
A group of organisms that share common characteristics and can naturally breed to produce fertile offspring
What is evolution?
The process by which living organisms have changed due to changes in the gene pool over time
What is a habitat?
The natural environment in which an organism or a species lives in and thrives
What is an ecological niche?
The role of a species in its habitat
What is a population?
The total number of individuals of one species in a particular area
What is a community?
The total number of individuals of all species that live in a particular area
What is the biosphere?
The global sum of all ecosystems on Earth
What is an ecosystem?
A community of organisms in a defined area and their interactions with the environment
What is a biome?
A large geographical area with a specific climate containing a number of ecosystems
What is the difference between an ecosystem and a biome?
An ecosystem is a localised community of living organisms (e.g. a tropical rainforest), whereas a biome is a larger geographical area with similar characteristics (e.g. all tropical rainforests on Earth)
What is the order of the Linnaean system of species classification?
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
