Ecology Flashcards
definition of ecology
study of relationships and interactions of living things with on another and their environment
biotic factor
living things in an ecosystem (plants, bugs, animals, bacteria)
abiotic factor
nonliving things in an ecosystem (water, dirt, wind, sunshine)
organism
a single living thing
population
all organisms of a single species that live within a certain area
community
all of the different organisms that live within a certain area
ecosystem
organisms and their physical environment
biodiversity and factors that influence it
- the variety of living things on Earth
- natural disasters, pollution, deforestation, overpopulation
exponential growth
highest rate of reproduction under ideal conditions
logistic growth
population’s growth slows or stops following a period of exponential growth
limiting factor in population growth
- things that cause population growth to decrease
- disease, competition, climate
carrying capacity
the largest population that a given environment can support
pollution
putting substances in or onto Earth that can harm it
-can make humans and animals sick, hurts the physical environment, destroys wildlife, destroys the ozone layer
what is the ozone layer and what is destroying it
- layer in the stratosphere that absorbs radiation
- CFCs (chlorofluorocaborns) being released into the air (released from air conditioners and industrial cooling products)
greenhouse effect
gases trap and re-emit heat radiation back to Earth
