Ecology Definitons

Question 1

ecology

Answer 1

the study of the various interactions between organisms and their environment

Question 2

community

Answer 2

all groups of organisms of different populations in an ecosystem

Question 3

population

Answer 3

all members of the same species living in an area

Question 4

ecosystem

Answer 4

organisms and their interactions with their environment

Question 5

biosphere

Answer 5

the part of the planet where life exists

Question 6

edaphic factors

Answer 6

relating to soil

Question 7

aquatic factors

Answer 7

relating to water

Question 8

biotic factors

Answer 8

relating to living organisms

Question 9

abiotic factors

Answer 9

relating to non living features of an ecosystem

Question 10

climate

Answer 10

long term prevailing conditions

Question 11

weather

Answer 11

short term atmospheric conditions

Question 12

fauna

Answer 12

animals

Question 13

flora

Answer 13

plants

Question 14

key

Answer 14

a guide used to identify organisms in an ecosystem

Question 15

habitat

Answer 15

where an organism lives

Question 16

niche

Answer 16

an organisms functional role in an ecosystem

Question 17

adaptation

Answer 17

a feature that improves an organisms chance of survival and reproduction

Question 18

producer

Answer 18

organism capable of making its own food

Question 19

decomposers

Answer 19

micro organisms and other organisms that return nutrients to the environment by decay

Question 20

food chain

Answer 20

sequence of organisms in which one organism is eaten by the next member in the chain

Question 21

food web

Answer 21

a series of two or more interconnected food chains

Question 22

trophic level

Answer 22

position or feeding level on the food chain

Question 23

pyramid of numbers

Answer 23

diagram that shows the number of organisms at each trophic levek

Question 24

competition

Answer 24

the active struggle for a scarce resource

Question 25

intra specific competition

Answer 25

occurs between members of the same species

Question 26

inter specific competition

Answer 26

occurs between members of different species

Question 27

scramble competition

Answer 27

a struggle for scarce resource and all get some of that resource

Question 28

contest competition

Answer 28

a physical struggle for a resource in which only one wins

Question 29

symbiosis

Answer 29

two organisms of different species live in close association and at least one benefits

Question 30

mutualism

Answer 30

two organisms of different species live in close association and both benefit

Question 31

parasitism

Answer 31

a situation in which one organism lives in or on another organism of different species, feeding on it and causing harm

Question 32

predation

Answer 32

one organism catching killing and eating another organism

Question 33

predator

Answer 33

organism that catches and kills another organism for food

Question 34

prey

Answer 34

the organism that is caught and eaten by the predator

Question 35

pollution

Answer 35

any harmful addition to the environment

Question 36

pollutant

Answer 36

any factors/substance that is a harmful addition to the environment

Question 37

conservation

Answer 37

wise management of the environment

Question 38

qualitative

Answer 38

what organisms present

Question 39

quantitative

Answer 39

how many/numbers of organisms present

Question 40

percentage cover

Answer 40

estimate the amount of ground in a quadrat covered by each species

Question 41

frequency

Answer 41

the chance of finding a named species with any one throw of a quadrat

Question 42

nutrient recycling

Answer 42

reuse and exchange of elements between living and non living components in an ecosystem