Ecology Flashcards
Predation
Relationship in which members of one species consume members of another species
Symbosis
Close relationship between organisms of different species in which at least one of the organisms benefits
Competition
Relationship between living things that depends on the same resources in the same place and at the same time
Competitive exclusion principle
Principle of ecology stating that two different species cannot occupy the same space for very long
Biome
Group of similar ecosystems with the same general type of physical environment
ecosystem
All living things in a given area together with the physical factors of the nonliving environment
Community
All of the population of different species that live in the same area
Niche
Role of a species in its ecosystem (including interactions with biotic and abiotic factors)
Biotic factors
Living aspects of an environment
Abiotic
Nonliving aspects of an environment
Herbivore
Consumer that eats producers
Carnivore
Consumer that eats animals
Omnivore
Consumer that eats plants and animals
Decomposer
Organism that breaks down the remains of dead organisms and other organic wastes
Detritovores
Decomposers that consume dead plants, leaves, and animals
Producers
Organism that produces food for itself and other organisms
Consumer
Organism that consumes other organisms for food
Primary consumer
Organism that eats producers
Keystone species
A species that plays an especially important role in its community - major changes in its numbers affect the populations of many other species
Three biogeochemical cycles
Water
Carbon
Nitrogen
What scientific law do the cycles represent
Transpiration - process in which plants give off water vapor from stomata in their leaves
Three types of symbiotic relationships
Commensalism
Mutualism
Parasitism
Commensalism
One organism benefits and the other is not affected - Barnacle and grey whale
Mutualism
Both organism benefit - flowers and bees
