Unit 6 - Ecosystems Flashcards
availability of food and the ability to obtain it
food security
amount of useful product
yield
chemical applied to crops to destroy pests that damage crops
pesticide
when a single crop is grown in a large field
monoculture
role of an organism in its ecosystem
niche
when both organisms in a dependent relationship benefit
symbiosis
type of symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other does not
commensalism
type of symbiosis where both organisms benefit
mutualism
type of symbiosis where one organism benefits but the other is harmed
parasitism
struggle between different organisms for survival
competition
when there are so few of a species left that it could disappear altogether
endangered
the range of different organisms within an ecosystem
biodiversity
when a species of an organism has died out
extinct
when the number of a species drops very low
vulnerable
when animals are bred in zoos and wildlife reserves to try to conserve species
captive breeding
a chemical put on soil to increase soil fertility and allow better growth of crop plants
fertiliser
chemical applied to crops to destroy insects that damage crops
insecticide
a substance that damages a living organism
toxin
increase in the concentration of a chemical as it is passed from one organism to another up a food chain
bioaccumulation
organisms with a narrow niche
specialist
organism with a broad niche
generalist
when species with similar needs use resources in slightly different ways
resource partitioning
different species of the same organism living successfully in the same community
co-exist
the range of characteristics across individuals of the same group
variation
