Vocabulary Flashcards
Taxonomy
the science of describing, naming, and classifying organisms
Dichotomous Key
an aid that is used to indentify organisms and that consists of the answers to a series of questions
Population
a group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area
Community
all the populations of species that live in the same habitat and interact with each other
Ecosystem
a community of organisms and their abiotic factors
Symbiosis
a relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other
Biome
a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities
Deciduous
describes trees that lose their leaves at the end of the growing season
Wetland
an area of land that is periodically underwater or whose soil contains a great deal of moisture
Seccession
the replacement of one type of community by another at a single location over a period of
Classification
the division of organisms into groups, or classes, based on specific characteristics
Biotic
describes living factors in the environment
Abiotic
describes the non living part of the environment, including water, rocks, light, and temperature
Biosphere
the part of earth where life exists
Food Chain
the pathway of energy transfer through various stages as a result of the feeding patterns of a series of organisms
Food Web
a diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem
Carrying Capacity
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time
Prey
an organisms that is killed and eaten by another organisms
Predator
an organism that kills and eats all or parts of another organisms
Coevolution
the evelution of two species that is due to mutual influence, often in a way that makes the relationship more beneficial to both species
