Key words Flashcards
Organism
any living thing, plant or animal
Abiotic Factors
non-living components of the environment such as temperature.
Biotic Factors
the effect of other living organisms on each other in an ecosystem.
Competition from other organisms for food.
Population
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area that interact and interbreed with each other. Eg. Frogs in a pond. Beech trees in a wood.
Habitat
the place where and organism lives
Community
all the populations of different species living in the same area.
Ecosystem
a community of organisms in a specific climate such as an artic ecosystem.
Biosphere
the part of the earth where living things are found.
Niche
a species niche is its functional role in the community. Each species in a community has a unique niche. A rabbit is food for foxes and eats grass.
A Pyramid of Numbers
s a bar chart showing the number of individuals at each trophic level of a food chain
A food web
is a flow chart showing the feeding connections in a community
Trophic Level
the position of a species in a food chain.
Producer (Autotroph)
makes its own food from inorganic materials.
Consumer (Heterotroph)
cannot make food - uses ‘ready-made’ food.
Carnivore
flesh eating animal e.g. fox, hawk, ladybird.
Herbivore
plant eating animal e.g. rabbit, honey bee, green fly.
Photosynthesis
the way in which green plants make their food.
Omnivore
plant and flesh eating animal e.g. hedge hog, field mouse.
Decomposer
detritus feeder e.g. earthworm, most bacteria and fungi.
Symbiosis
is the relationship between individuals of two or mores species living together.
Parasitism
symbiosis where one species feeds off and harms the other. Example: lice on hawks.
Mutualism
symbiosis where all species gain. Example: lichens - the fungus gains food from the algae and the algae gain shelter, water plus mineral nutrients from the fungus.
