Principles Of Ecology Vocab

Question 1

Organisms that use sunlight or energy stored in chemical compounds to make food (producers)

Answer 1

Autotrophs

Question 2

Process used by autotrophs to make food energy from sun (plants)

Answer 2

Photosynthesis

Question 3

Autotrophs that capture chemical energy since they live in places w/out sunlight (bacteria found in volcano vents)

Answer 3

Chemosynthesis

Question 4

Organisms that rely on other organisms for their energy and food supply (consumers)

Answer 4

Heterotrophs

Question 5

Break down organic matter (bacteria,fungi)

Answer 5

Decomposers

Question 6

Show how matter and energy move through ecosystems in a series of steps showing which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten

Answer 6

Food chains

Question 7

Models that show all possible feeding relationships at each tropic level in a community

Answer 7

Food webs

Question 8

Diagram that shows amounts of energy or matter at each tropic level

Answer 8

Ecological pyramid

Question 9

Elements, compounds, and other forms of matter are passed from one organism to another and from 1 part of the biosphere to another

Answer 9

Bio geochemical cycles

Question 10

All the living organisms in an environment

Answer 10

Biotic factors

Question 11

The nonliving parts of the environment

Answer 11

Abiotic factors

Question 12

All strategies and adaptations a species uses in its environment

Answer 12

Niche

Question 13

Any relationship where 2 species live closely together

Answer 13

Symbiosis

Question 14

Organisms that seek out and eat each other

Answer 14

Predators

Question 15

Organisms that are eaten

Answer 15

Prey

Question 16

Made up of populations or organisms that live in a common area

Answer 16

Community

Question 17

Anything that limits an organisms ability to live in a particular environment

Answer 17

Limiting factor

Question 18

The ability of living things to survive that changes in their environment

Answer 18

Tolerance

Question 19

The process of gradual, natural change and species replacement that takes place in the communities of an ecosystems over time

Answer 19

Succession

Question 20

A stable community formed after primary or secondary succession

Answer 20

Climax community

Question 21

Large group of ecosystems that share the same type of climax and a diverse group of plants

Answer 21

Biomes

Question 22

Study of the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environments

Answer 22

Ecology

Question 23

What is the main energy source for almost all ecosystems on earth?

Answer 23

Sunlight

Question 24

Why are food chains generally limited to 3 or 4 levels

Answer 24

Because they run out of energy

Question 25

Name the producer in the food chain

Answer 25

Grass

Question 26

Name the 3rd level consumer in the food chain

Answer 26

Owl

Question 27

Dry ecosystem with porous soil, home to cacti

Answer 27

Desert

Question 28

Home to many insects with precipitation year round

Answer 28

Tropical rain forest

Question 29

Animals such as chipmunks, bears and bats hibernate in winter

Answer 29

Temperate forest

Question 30

Plants include variety of grasses, home to lions

Answer 30

Savannah

Question 31

Has a layer of permanently frozen soil

Answer 31

Tundra

Question 32

Thin layer of water that covers soil, birds use it for nesting and feeding

Answer 32

Wetlands

Question 33

Covers the largest part of the biosphere

Answer 33

Oceans

Question 34

Area where freshwater and saltwater mix

Answer 34

Estuaries

Question 35

Exists only in northern hemisphere, coniferous forests

Answer 35

Taiga

Question 36

Standing body of water with low salinity

Answer 36

Lake

Question 37

Both species benefit from relationship

Answer 37

Mutualism

Question 37

One organism benefits and the other is neither helped not harmed

Answer 37

Commensalism

Question 37

One organism lives on or in another and harms it

Answer 37

Parasitism

Question 37

Eats only plants

Answer 37

Herbivore

Question 37

Eats only animals

Answer 37

Carnivore

Question 38

Eats plants and animals

Answer 38

Omnivore

Question 39

Eats plant and animal remains

Answer 39

Detritivore

Question 40

An area where an organism lives

Answer 40

Habitat