Science Vocab Terms on Biodiversity

Question 1

A group of individuals that belong to the same species in a given area.

Answer 1

Population

Question 2

A group of different populations in a given area.

Answer 2

Community

Question 3

All the living and nonliving things in a given area.

Answer 3

Ecosystem

Question 4

A group of ecosystems that share similar climates and typical organisms

Answer 4

Biome

Question 5

Anywhere on earth where life exists

Answer 5

Biosphere

Question 6

Place where an organism lives within an ecosystem

Answer 6

Habitat

Question 7

The role of each organism within an ecosystem.
Ex: Decomposer recycles nutrients back into the earth

Answer 7

Niche

Question 8

A series of organisms in an ecosystem where one is dependent on another as an energy source.

Answer 8

Food chain

Question 9

A system of food chains

Answer 9

Food web

Question 10

The maximum number of individuals of a species that the resources of an ecosystem can support.

Answer 10

Carrying Capacity

Question 11

Anything that can determine the number of organisms of a species in an ecosystem
(ex. available food, number of predators, amount of space)

Answer 11

Limiting Factor

Question 12

An animal who hunts and kills another animal for food.

Answer 12

Predator

Question 13

An animal who is hunted, killed and eaten by other animals.

Answer 13

Prey

Question 14

Interaction between two organisms where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
Ex: Mosquito and human

Answer 14

Parasitism

Question 15

Interaction between two organisms where one benefits and the other neither benefits nor is harmed.
Ex: Barnacle and the whale

Answer 15

Commensalism

Question 16

Interaction between two organisms where both organisms benefit from the relationship.
Ex: Sea anemone and clown fish

Answer 16

Mutualism

Question 17

An organism that makes their own energy through biochemical processes.

Answer 17

Autotroph

Question 18

An organism that consumes another for energy.

Answer 18

Heterotrophh

Question 19

The position an organism occupies in the food chain. What it eats and what eats it.

Answer 19

Trophic Level

Question 20

Process of creating chemical energy (glucose) from light energy.
Carbon dioxide + water + light → glucose + oxygen.

Answer 20

Photosynthesis

Question 21

Process of creating molecular energy (ATP) from glucose and oxygen.
Glucose + Oxygen → Carbon dioxide + water + ATP

Answer 21

Cellular Respiration

Question 22

Organelle in producers that captures light energy and conducts photosynthesis (making glucose) through carbon fixation.

Answer 22

Chloroplast

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Trade-off

Question 24

An organism that makes their own energy through biochemical processes.

Answer 24

Producer

Question 25

An organism that consumes another for energy
Example: Animals

Answer 25

Consumer

Question 26

An organism that breaks down organic material and recycles it back into the earth.

Answer 26

Decomposer

Question 27

An individual plant, animal or single celled life form.

Answer 27

Organism

Question 28

A group of organisms able to reproduce and create fertile offspring.

Answer 28

Species

Question 29

Study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

Answer 29

Ecology

Question 30

A species that does not normally live in the ecosystem. This species takes away resources from native species in this ecosystem.

Answer 30

Invasive Species

Question 31

Different types of living things in an area.

Answer 31

Biodiversity

Question 32

A stable balance in the numbers of species in an ecosystem.

Answer 32

Dynamic Equilibrium