Marine Science Test 1 Definitions Flashcards
What is the definition of a biotic factor of an environment?
living factors of an environment
What is the definition of an abiotic factor of an environment?
non-living parts of an ecosystem
What is the definition of habitat?
the place or environment where an organism naturally or normally lives and grows.
What is the definition of an environment?
the physical, chemical, and biotic factors that act upon an organism or an ecological community and ultimately determine its form and survival
What does it mean for something to be “dynamic”?
constantly moving and changing
What does substrate mean?
the surface on which an organism lives. (ex. rock, coral)
What is a producer?
organisms that make their own food and energy
What is a consumer?
organisms that get ether energy by eating other organisms
What is a decomposer?
an organism that breaks down dead and organic material
What does food chain mean?
sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another
What does food web mean?
the totality of interacting food chains in an ecological community
What is the definition of an ecosystem?
A system that includes all biotic factors in an area as well as the abiotic factors of an environment.
What are phytoplankton?
Microscopic marine algae
What are zooplankton?
small, aquatic microorganisms that eat phytoplankton.
What is adaptation?
the biological mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment
