Ecology Flashcards
Ecology
Ecology is the study of the interactions between living things (organisms) and between organisms and their environment
Biosphere
The biosphere is that part of the planet containing living organisms
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a group of clearly distinguished organisms that interact with their environment as a unit
Habitat
A habitat is the place where a plant or animal lives
Population
A population is all the members of the sames species living in an area
Community
A community is all the different populations in an area
Abiotic Factors
Abiotic factors are non-living factors
Biotic Factors
Biotic factors are living factors
Climatic Factors
Climatic factors refer to weather over a long period of time
Edaphic Factors
Edaphic factors relate to soil
Producers
Producers are organisms that carry out photosynthesis
Flora
Flora is all the plants in an ecosystem
Consumers
Consumers are organisms that take in food from another organism
Fauna
Fauna is all the animals in an ecosystem
Decomposers
Decomposers are organisms that feed on dead organic matter
Detritus Feeders
Detritus feeders are organisms that feed on small pieces of dead organic matter
Food Chain
A grazing food chain is a sequence of organisms in which each one is eaten by the next member in the chain
Trophic Level
A trophic level is a feeding stage in a food chain
Food Web
A food web consists of two or more interlinked food chains
Pyramid of Numbers
A pyramid of numbers represents the number of organisms at each trophic level in a food chain
Niche
The ecological niche of an organisms is the functional role it plays in the community
Nutrient Recycling
Nutrient recycling is the way in which elements (such as carbon and nitrogen) are exchanged between the living and non-living components of an ecosystem
Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia, ammonium or nitrate
Nitrification
Nitrification is the conversion of ammonia and ammonium compounds to nitrite and then to nitrate
Denitrification
Denitrification is the conversion of nitrates to nitrogen gas
Pollution
Pollution is any harmful addition to the environment
Pollutants
Pollutants are harmful additions to the environment
Conservation
Conservation is the wise management of existing natural resources in an ecosystem, in order to maintain a wide range of habitats and prevent the death and extinction of organisms
Competition
Competition occurs when organisms actively struggle for a resource that is in short supply
Intra-Specific Competition
Intra-specific competition takes place between members of the same species
Inter-Specific Competition
Inter-specific competition occurs between members of different species
Contest Competition
In contest competition, there is an active physical contest between two individual organisms
Scramble Competition
In scramble competition, all of the competing individuals get some of the resource
Predation
Predation is the catching, killing and eating of another organism
Predator
A predator is an organism that catches, kills and eats another organism
Prey
The prey is the organism that is eaten by the predator
Parasitism
Parasitism occurs when two organisms of different species live in close association and one organism (the parasite) obtains its food from, and to the disadvantage of, the second organism (the host)
Symbiosis
Symbiosis occurs when two organisms of different species live (and have to live) in close association and at least one of them benefits
