Ecology Unit Flashcards
includes all life, land, water, and air on Earth where live may exist
biosphere
a form of animal communication that involves making noises to signal a message (bark, chirp, growl, etc)
auditory communication
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area
population
a relationship in which one organism feeds on another organism
predation
a community of living things interacting with the nonliving parts of their environment
ecosystem
a collection of ecosystems with the same climate an similar communities
biome
a model that shows all of the interconnected feeding relationships in an ecosystem
food web
the maximum population size that an area can support
carrying capacity
the nonliving parts of an environment (rocks, air, water)
abiotic factors
a relationship in which both organisms benefit
mutualism
organisms that feed on other organisms for energy
consumers (heterotrophs)
organisms that break down dead organisms and waste for energy
decomposers
organisms that feed only on plants
herbivores
a model that shows a single pathway, or sequence, of feeding relationships in an ecosystem
food chain
organisms that feed on both plants and animals
omnivores
organisms that feed on dead or decaying animals
scavengers
a form of animal communication that uses chemicals, such as urine or pheromones
chemical communication
two or more different populations living in the same area
community
a model that shows the amount of energy available at each feeding level
energy pyramid
the feeding position of an organism in a food chain
trophic level
the amount of stored energy that is passed to another trophic level
10% rule
an organisms job, or role, in an ecosystem
niche
a relationship in which organisms fight over the same resources
competition
the smallest level of ecological organization; a single organism
individual
