ecology Flashcards
biotic
resulting from living things
abiotic
not derived from living organisms
population
a group of organisms
community
all the populations of species int he same habitat
biosphere
the part of earth where life exists
ecosystem
a community of organisms
herbivore
an organism that only eats plants
carnivore
an organism that only eats meat
omnivore
an organism that eats plants and animals
food chain
the sequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food
food web
many food chains operating together
energy pyramid
representation of the energy found within the tropic levels of an ecosystem
carrying capacity
the largest population an environment can support
prey
an organism that is killed
predator
an animal that kills
symbiosis
interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association
mutualism
symbiosis that is beneficial to both organisms
commercialism
an association between two organisms in which one benefits
parasitism
the practice of living as a parasite in or on another organism
producers
organisms that make their own food
decomposers
an organisms that decomposes organic material
desert
arid land with usually sparse vegetation
tundra
low-to-ground vegetation
temperate deciduous forest
a biome that is always changing
tropical rainforest
a rainforest in the tropics
savanna
a grassy plain in tropical and subtropical regions
temperate grassland
areas of open grassy plains
