Ecology Unit Vocab Flashcards
Ecology
the study of organisms and their interactions with the environment
Biosphere
life supporting region of the Earth; all land, water, and air in which organisms live.
Biotic Factors
all of the living parts of an ecosystem.
Abiotic Factors
all of the nonliving parts of an ecosystem.
Organism
an individual member of a species within a population.
Population
all of the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the same species.
Community
all of the populations in an ecosystem.
Ecosystem
all of the organisms living in an area and the nonliving features of their environment
Habitat
the place in which an organism lives.
Niche
how an organism survives, how it obtains food and shelter, how it finds a mate and cares for its offspring, and how it avoids danger.
Carrying capacity
the largest number of individuals of one species that an ecosystem can support over time
Limiting Factors
anything that restricts the number of individuals in a population.
Predators
consumers that capture and eat other consumers.
Prey
the organism that is captured and consumed by the predator.
Producers/Autotrophs
organisms such as plants and algae, which through the process of photosynthesis create energy-rich food.