Vocab 1.1 Flashcards
Ecosystem
a system or group of elements formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment
Biotic Factor
A living thing that influences or affects an ecosystem
Abiotic Factor
A nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat the influences or affects and ecosystem and the organisms in it
Organism
A form of life considered as an entity; an animal, plant, fungus, protistan, or moneran
Species
A class of individuals having some common characteristics or qualities; distinct sort of kind
Population
A total number of varied species living in a habitat or ecosystem
Community
a social group living in any ecosystem; that each share a common heritage or culture
Habitat
The natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism
Natural Selection
the process by which forms of life having traits that better enable them to adapt to specific evironmental troubles and reproduce in that environment
Evolution
Any process of growth or development
Producers
Something that gives energy to other lifeforms
Autotrophs
an organism capable of self-nourishment by using inorganic materials; this involves and is common with most plants
Consumers
An organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals
Heterotroph
An organism requiring organic compounds for its principal source of food
Primary Consumer
An animal that feeds on plants; a herbivore
Secondary Consumer
A carnivore that feeds only upon herdivores
Tertiary Consumer
a carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores; an animal that feeds only on secondary consumers
Herbivores
An animal that eats on plants
Carnivores
An animal that eats flesh or meat
Omnivores
An animal that eats both plants and flesh
Decomposers
An organism usually a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down the cells of dead plants and animals into simpler substances
Food Chain
A series of organisms interrelated in their feeding habits, the smallest being fed upon by a large one, which in turn feeds a still larger one, etc.
Food Web
A series of organism related by predator-prey and consumer- resource interactions; the entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecologiacl community
Energy Pyramid
a depiction of the amount of enegry in each trophic level of an ecosystem
Carbon Cycle
The circulation of carbon atoms in the biosphere, these are consumed by other organisms.
Nitrogen Cycle
The sequence of events with substances in the soil are converted, that can be used by green plants.
Phosphorus cycle
Is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of Phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
Ecological Succession
Is the observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
Primary Succession
The development of plant and animal life in an area without topsoil. These are barren areas.
Secondary Succession
Is the series of community changes which take place on a previously colonized, but disturbed or damaged habitat
Pioneer Species
These are moos, and fungus, these start a life of greens in an barren area.
Climax Community
A stable mature community in a successive series which has reached equilibrium
Ecosystem
A system or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment
