Ecology Chap 3 definitions Flashcards
biosphere
consists of parts of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere wher elife is found.
ecosystem
one or more communities of diferent species interacting with their nonliving environment of matter and energy
community
populations of different species living in a particlar place, and potentially interacting with each other
poplulation
a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular place
organism
an individual living being
cell
the fundamental structural and functional unit of life
molecule
chemical combinations of two or more atoms of the same or different elements
atom
basic unit of chemical element that exhibits its chemical properties
ecology
scientific study of the interations among organisms as well as the interactions between organisms and their non-living environment
a’ & ‘b’ factors -why factors
factors that affect plants, animals
abiotic factors
non-living, environmental factors (light (solar energy),temperature,precipitation,water availablity/quality, wind, air pollution , nutrients,geology=variations soil types, topography, altitude, and natural disasters (fire), [Pine trees require fire open cones]
biotic factors
living organisms and their interactions (competition, predation,parasitic, herbavory) [plants, animals, microbes(micoorganisms: bacteria, fungi, phytoplankton)
biodiversity
total #number of different species present in an area
endemic speciies
species that is restricted to living in a certain habitat, or a certain set of environmental conditions
scientific method
way of studying natural world through observations, hypothesis, and deductive reasoning. 1) Make Observations 2) Ask Questions 3) Make Hypothesis 4) Generae Testable Predictions from Hypothesis 5) Devise Tests (Experiments) [me: Analyze Data and Draw Conclusions. Hypothesis supported or not supported by experiment]
