Ecology Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
An environment including all the living organisms interacting within it, the cycling of nutrients and the physical and chemical environment in which the organisms are living
What is a habitat?
A place where an organism lives
What is a micro habitat?
A small area of habitat
What is a community?
All the populations of all the different species of an organisms living in a habitat at any one time
What is an abiotic factor?
Non-living elements of the habitat of an organisms
What is biotic factor?
The living element of a habitat that affect the ability of a group of organisms to survive there
What is the biosphere?
All of the areas of the surface of the Earth where living organisms survive
What are biomes?
The major ecosystems of the world
What is succession?
The process by which the communities of organisms colonising an area change over time
What is a climax community?
A self-sustaining community with relatively constant biodiversity and species range, the most productive group of organisms that a given environment can support long term
What is a climatic climax community?
The only climax community possible in a given climate
What is plagioclimax?
A climax community that is at least in part the result of human intervention
