Science Vocab Terms on Biodiversity Flashcards
A group of individuals that belong to the same species in a given area.
Population
A group of different populations in a given area.
Community
All the living and nonliving things in a given area.
Ecosystem
A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms
Biome
Anywhere on earth where life exists
Biosphere
Place where an organism lives within an ecosystem
Habitat
The role of each organism within an ecosystem.
Ex: Decomposer recycles nutrients back into the earth
Niche
A series of organisms in an ecosystem where one is dependent on another as an energy source.
Food chain
A system of food chains
Food web
The maximum number of individuals of a species that the resources of an ecosystem can support.
Carrying Capacity
Anything that can determine the number of organisms of a species in an ecosystem
(ex. available food, number of predators, amount of space)
Limiting Factor
An animal who hunts and kills another animal for food.
Predator
An animal who is hunted, killed and eaten by other animals.
Prey
Interaction between two organisms where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
Ex: Mosquito and human
Parasitism
Interaction between two organisms where one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed.
Ex: Barnacle and the whale
Commensalism
Interaction between two organisms where both organisms benefit from the relationship.
Ex: Sea anemone and clown fish
Mutualism
An organism that makes their own energy through biochemical processes.
Autotroph
An organism that consumes another for energy.
Heterotrophh
The position an organism occupies in the food chain. What it eats and what eats it.
Trophic Level
Process of creating chemical energy (glucose) from light energy.
Carbon dioxide + water + light → glucose + oxygen.
Photosynthesis
Process of creating molecular energy (ATP) from glucose and oxygen.
Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + water + ATP
Cellular Respiration
Organelle in producers that captures light energy and conducts photosynthesis (making glucose) through carbon fixation.
Chloroplast
The exchange of one thing for another, usually one is positive and the other is negative.
Example: humans use electricity but it causes pollution which harms the environment
Trade-off
An organism that makes their own energy through biochemical processes.
Producer
An organism that consumes another for energy
Example: Animals
Consumer
An organism that breaks down organic material and recycles it back into the earth.
Decomposer
An individual plant, animal or single celled life form.
Organism
A group of organisms able to reproduce and create fertile offspring.
Species
Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.
Ecology
A species that does not normally live in the ecosystem. This species takes away resources from native species in this ecosystem.
Invasive Species
Different types of living things in an area.
Biodiversity
A stable balance in the numbers of species in an ecosystem.
Dynamic Equilibrium
