Ecology Definitions (HL) Flashcards
What is ecology
the study of how living things interact with their environment
What is an ecosystem
groups of living organisms that interact with their environment
eg. grassland
What is a biosphere
the part of the planet containing living things
What is a Population
the number of organisms for one species living in an area
What is a Community
all the different populations living in an area
What is a Habitat
where an animal or plant lives
What are Biotic factors
relate to living factors -
food, competition, predation, humans
What are abiotic factors
relate to non-living factors - temperature, soil , rainfall
What are edaphic factors
relate to the soil -
soil pH, soil temp
What are climatic factors
relate to the weather over a long period of time -
wind, rainfall
What are consumers
organisms that take in food from other organisms
What are producers
organisms that make their own food / carry out photosynthesis
all plants
What is a food chain
shows a sequence of organisms in which one is eaten by the next
What is a trophic level
a feeding stage in the food chain
What is flora
all plants in an ecosystem
What is fauna
all animals in an ecosystem
What is a primary consumer
eats a producer
What is a secondary consumer
eats a primary consumer