Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
the study of how organisms interact with one another and with the environment
Community
made up of all the populations of different species that live and interact in an area
Biotic factor
an interaction between living organisms in an area
Ecosystem
a community of organisms and their nonliving environment
Abiotic factor
a nonliving part of an environment, such as water, nutrients, soil, sunlight, rainfall, or temperature
Biome
large regions characterized by climate and communities of species grouped together
Niche
the abiotic conditions under which individuals can survive and the role they play it eh ecosystem
Species
organisms that are closely related and can mate to protect fertile offspring.
Habitat
the place where an organism usually lives and is part of an organism’s niche
Producer
also called an autotroph, it uses energy to make food.
Carnivore
an organism that eats other organisms
Decomposer
an organism that gets energy and nutrients by breaking down the remains of other organism
Omnivore
an organism that eats both plants and meat
Consumer
an organism that eats other organisms
Food chain
the path of energy transfer from producers to consumers. Energy moves from one organism to the next in one direction. The arrows represent the transfer of energy as one organism is eaten by another
Herbivore
a consumer that eats only plants
Food web
a more complicated diagram that depicts the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem. These are made up of many food chains.
Predator
an organism that eats another animal
Prey
the animal a predator eats
Commensalism
when one organism benefits and the other is not affected
Symbiosis
a close long-term relationship between different species in a community
Parasitism
a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits
Mutualism
a symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit
Competition
occurs when organisms compete for resources, like food, water, sunlight, shelter, and mates.
Limiting factor
an environmental factor that keeps a population from reaching its full potential size
Native species
species that naturally live in an ecosystem
Introduced species
species that have been brought to an ecosystem by human actions.
Wetland
an area where land is covered by water for at least part of the year. Water flows slowly here
Coral reef
grow in warm, shallow, clear waters and are made up of the skeletons of tiny animals
Estuary
an area where freshwater mixes with saltwater.
Forests
where longleaf pines, mangroves, cypress, and cabbage palms grow
Prairies
Flat landscapes full of grasses, sedges, and rushes
Dunes
mounds of sand piled up by the wind along beaches. Home of nesting birds and low-growing plants
Lakes and ponds
standing bodies of water that can be either fresh or salt water.
Rivers and streams
Salt marshes
found along the coast, home to grasses like sedges and rushes, occasionally flooded by tides
Mangrove swamps
found near areas with warm temperatures that are flooded by tides and also receive freshwater runoff
