Ecology Flashcards
What is Ecology?
The study of the interactions of living organisms with each other and with their environment
What is an organism?
one individual, a single living thing
What is a population?
A group of interbreeding organisms living together in the same area
What is a community?
All the organisms, of all types, living in the same area
What is an ecosystem?
all the organisms, living in the same environment and their non living environment
What are producers?
Organisms that make their own food using photosynthesis
What are consumers?
Organisms that eat producers or other consumers
What are herbivores?
Animals that only eat plants
What are carnivores?
Animals that only eat other animals
What are omnivores?
animals that eat both plants and animals
What are decomposers?
organisms that only feed off other dead organisms
What is a limiting factor?
Anything that reduces the size of a population
What are the main limiting factors for animals?
food, water, space, mates
other: being eaten, competition, disease
When does competition occur?
When two or more organisms need the same resource
Interspecific competition?
between members of different species
