ecology Flashcards
Biotic
describes living factors in the environment.
Abiotic
describes the nonliving part of the environment, including water, rocks, light, and temperature.
Population
A group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area.
Community
all the populations of species that live in the same habitat and interact with each other.
Ecosystem
a community of organisms and their abiotic environment.
biosphere
the part of Earth where life exists.
herbivore
an organism that eats only plants.
carnivore
an organisms that eats animals.
omnivore
an organism that eats both plats and animals.
food chain
the pathway of energy transfer through various stages as a result of the feeding patterns of a series of organisms.
food web
a diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.
energy pyramid
a triangular diagram that shows an ecosystem’s loss of energy, which results as energy passes through the ecosystem’s food chain.
carrying capacity
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time.
prey
an organism that is killed and eaten by another organisms.
predator
an organism that eats all part of another organism.
Mutualism
a relationship between two species in which both species benefit.
commensalism
a relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
parasitism
a relationship between two species in which one species, the parasite, benefits from the other species, the host, which is harmed.
producers
an organism that can make its own food by using energy from its surroundings.
decomposers
an organism that gets energy by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animals waste and consuming or absorbing the nutrients.
desert
an area that has little or no plant life, long periods without rain, and extreme temperatures; usually found in hot climates.
Tundra
a treeless plain found in the Arctic, in thee Antarctic, or on the tops of mountains that is characterized by very few low winter temperatures and short, cool summers.
temperate deciduous forests
The trees shed their leaves to save water during the winter or during the dry season.
tropical rainforest
The rain forests has more plants and animals than any other land biome.
coniferous forest
very big trees and the ground gets very little sunlight because the trees block the sun.
savannna
a grassland that often has scattered trees and that is found in tropical and subtropical areas where seasonal rains, fires, and drought happen.
temperate grassland
Have very few trees.
