Ecology Flashcards
Ecosystem
A community of organisms
Biotic Factor
Living components of a ecosystem
Abiotic Factor
Non living parts of a ecosystem
Organism
Plant, animal, single celled life form
Species
A group of living organisms
Population
Number or organisms
Community
Interacting group of species
Habitat
Place where a organism lives
Natural Selection
Organisms best adapted to their environment with survive
Evolution
Organisms are growing and changing
Producers/Autotroph
Makes its own food
Consumers/Heterotrophs
Needs to find food
Primary Consumer
Living organism that eats producers
Secondary Consumer
All herbivores
Tertiary Consumer
Feeds on only secondary consumers
Herbivores
Plant eaters
Carnivores
Meat eaters
Omnivores
Eats both plants and meat
Decomposers
Break down decaying organisms
Food chain
linear network that links food starting from producers
Food web
A model showing the interconnecting food chain
Energy Pyramid
Energy flow in community
Carbon Cycle
Combines process. Photosynthesis, decomposition,respiration
Nitrogen Cycle
Natural process in which nitrogen passes through soil
Ecological Succession
Structure of a biological community the evolves over time
Primary Succession
Part of the plant life
Secondary Succession
Part of the plant life
Pioneer Species
First life forms
Climax Community
Animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other
