Ecology Vocabulary Flashcards
the study of how organisms interact with each other and with their environment
Ecology
all the organisms in an environment
Biotic Factors
all the non-living things in an environment
Abiotic Factors
individuals that possesses all the characteristics of life.
Organism
group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.
Species
group of individuals of the same species living in the same place at the same time
population
group of different populations living together in an area
Community
all of the organisms in an area (biotic factors) and the nonliving components
(abiotic factors)
Ecosystem
group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities
Biome
contains all biomes and aquatic communities
biosphere
organisms that use the sun’s energy to produce their own food
autotrophs
organisms that must use another organism for food
heterotrophs
consumes only plants (ex-squirrels, rabbits, deer, manatee)
herbivore
consumes only meat (ex-lion, wolf, grizzly bear,)
carnivore
consumes plants and animals (ex-raccoon, human, black bear, opossum, fox)
omnivore
feeds on dead matter (ex-worms, crabs, buzzard)
detrivore
breakdown dead organisms and return nutrients to the soil (ex-fungus and bacteria)
decomposer
consumes dead animals ( ex-buzzard, vulture, hyena)
scavenger
series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating or being eaten
food chain
complex network of several food chains within an ecosystem.
food web
shows the steps in a food chain or web.
trophic level
herbivores
primary consumers
omnivores or carnivores that feed on other consumers
Secondary/tertiary consumers
diagram that shows there relative amounts of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a food chain or food web
Ecological Pyramid
