Ecology Flashcards
sum of all the habitable ecosystems on the earth
biosphere
study of the interrelationships between living things and their physical environment
ecology
measurement of the variety of life in a particular ecosystem
biodiversity
the set of plants and animals that are adapted for life in those parts of Earth characterized by a particular climate
biome
the community of organisms in a particular area along with the physical characteristics of their environment
ecosystem
physical portion of an ecosystem preferred by an organism
habitat
the role of an organism within its habitat
niche
nonliving
abiotic
living or derived from living things
biotic
population
vertical zonation
an autotrophic organism, that is, one that can produce its own food from light or chemical energy
producer
a heterotrophic organism, one that cannot produce its own food and must obtain energy by consuming other organisms
consumer
conflict that results when organisms attempt to use the same resources
competition
small particles of dead organic material
detritus
an organism that breaks down dead organic material, recycling nutrients to be used by other organisms
decomposer
nutritional relationships between populations in an ecosystem involving overlapping food chains
food web
a model for showing the flow of energy through the various trophic levels within an ecosystem from producers to top level consumers
ecological pyramid
symbiosis
a symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits at the expense of the other organism, known as the host
Parasitism
a symbiotic relationship between two organisms that benefits both organisms involved
mutualism
a symbiotic relationship between two organisms that benefits one organism without helping or harming the other organism
commensalism
a symbiotic relationship in which two organisms share the same habitat without directly affecting each other
Neutralism
symbiotic relationship between two organisms that is injurious to one organism without affecting the other organism
amensalism
