Ecology Flashcards
Habitat
Place where an organism lives and is adapted to
Population
Members of the same species living in an area
Community
Populations of different species in an area
Ecosystem
Relationships where organisms interact with their environment
Biosphere
Part of earth that supports life
Ecology
The study of the interaction of plants and animals with each other and their environment
Biotic
Living factors that affect living organisms
Abiotic
Non living factors that affect living organism
Climate
Long term weather conditions
Weather
Short term weather conditions
Edaphic
Soil conditions that affect living organisms
Aquatic
Water conditions that affect living organisms
Food chain
A sequence of organisms where each one is eaten by the next in the chain
Grazing food chain
A food chain that starts with a plant
Detritus food chain
A food chain starting with dead organic matter
Tropic level
Position of an organism in a food chain
Food web
Set of interconnected food chains
Nutrient recycling
Where elements/ minerals are exchanged between the living and non living parts of the eco system
Eutrophication
When lakes become enriched with nutrients (fertilisers)
Niche
The role of an organism in an ecosystem
Competition
Struggle between organisms of the same or different species for a limited resource
Intra- specific competition
Competition between members of the same species
Inter-specific competition
Competition between members of different species
Contest competition
Active struggle between 2 organisms where only one wins the resource
Example: competition for mates (dears)
Scramble competition
Struggle between organisms for a resource where each organism gets some of the resource
Example: Young birds in nest
Pollution
Addition of harmful substances to the environment
Conservation
The careful management of out environment
Waste management
Is reducing harmful effects of waste materials on the environment
Pyramid of numbers
Modified bar chart showing number of organisms at each tropic level
Predation
The catching, killing and eating of another organism
Parasitism
Where one organism lives in/on a second organism feeding on it and causing it harm
Symbiosis
Close relationship between 2 organisms of a different species in which at least one benefits
Mutualism
2 different species living together and both benefit
Commensalism
2 different species in which only one benefits but does not harm its host
