Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
the study of interactions between organisms and the environment
species
one type of organism
biotic factor
all parts of the environment that are living
aboitic factor
all parts of the environment that are non-living
habitat
The place where an organism lives in a community
population
all the organisms of the same species living in the same place at the same time
community
all different species living in the same place at the same time.
Ecosystem
a community interacting with the abiotic parts of its environment, (all the biotic and abiotic parts of an area)
energy pyramid
a diagram showing the trophic level/level in the food chain
the sun
the main source of energy for most living things
producer
makes its own food
photosynthesis
the process of food making in producers
Sunlight + CO₂ (carbon dioxide) + H₂O (Water) →
sugar (energy) + O₂ (Oxygen)
consumer
an organism that eats other organisms
herbivore
an organism that only eats plants
carnivore
an organism that only eats meat/animals
omnivore
an organism that eats meat and plants
scavenger
an organism that only eats other dead organisms
decomposer
an organism that breaks down the remains of dead organisms
food web
when different food chains overlap
competition
The contest among organisms to get all they need to survive
niche
the job a species has within a community
predator
an organism that kills and eats prey to get energy
limiting factors
an environmental factor that causes the population to decrease
symbiosis
A relationship where food, shelter, support or transportation is provided for one or both organisms
natural selection
The struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources
Process in which a species becomes better suited to its environment
