Ecology 2 Flashcards
Food Chain
a series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy; shows only one possible pathway for energy to travel through an ecosystem
Food Web
shows many possible pathways for energy to travel through an ecosystem; made of multiple food chains that are interconnected
Energy Pyramid
a diagram that shows the amount of energy that moves from one feeding level to another; the most energy is at the bottom where PRODUCERS (chlorophyll containing organisms such as plants) convert solar energy into chemical energy (food) for the rest of the organisms in the ecosystem
Symbiosis
a close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species
Mutualism
a relationship in which both species benefits (EXAMPLE: remora and shark)
Commensalism
a relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither helped nor harmed (EXAMPLE: saguaro cactus and a red tailed hawk; the hawk lives in the saguaro cactus)
Parasitism
a relationship in which one species lives in, on or near another organism and harms it
Natural Selection
process by which characteristics that make an individual better suited to its environment become more common in a species
Biodiversity
diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment; divergence from a common ancestral form
Adaptations
the behaviors or physical characteristics that allow organisms to live successfully in their environment
Succession
predictable changes that occur in a community over time
Pioneer Species
first species to populate an area, usually carried to the area by wind or water (EXAMPLE: mosses and lichens)
Habitat
an environment that provides the things an organism needs to live, grow, and reproduce
Energy
the ability to do work; cannot be created or destroyed; can change from one form to another
Predation
a relation between animals in which one organism captures and feeds on others
