VocabularyEcology- The scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.
Biosphere- Part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere. Species- A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring. Population- A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area. Community- Assemblage of different populations that live together in a defined area. Ecosystem- A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their environment. Biome- A complex biotic community characterized by distinctive plant and animal species and maintained under the climatic conditions of the region, especially such a community that has developed to climax. Autotrophs- Any organism capable of self-nourishment by using inorganic materials as a source of nutrients and using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis as a source of energy, as most plants and certain bacteria and protists. Producers- An organism that makes its own food using photosynthesis or chemosynthesis. Consumer- An organism that gets its energy from eating another organism. Herbivore- An organism that eats only palnts. Carnivore- An organism that eats only meat. Omnivore- An organism that eats both plants and meat. Detritvore- An organism that uses organic waste as a food source. Decomposer-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 larger one, which in turn feeds a still larger one, etc. Food Web- A series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource interactions; the entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecological community. Trophic Level- Any class of organisms that occupy the same position in a food chain, as primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. Ecological Pyramid- A graphical representation in the shape of a pyramid to show the feeding relationship of groups of organisms, and the flow of energy or biomass through the different trophic levels in a given ecosystem. Water Cycle- the circulation of the earth's water, in which water evaporates from the sea into the atmosphere, where it condenses and falls as rain or snow, returning to the sea by rivers or returning to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration Nitrogen Cycle- the continuous sequence of events by which atmospheric nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds in the soil are converted, as by nitrification and nitrogen fixation, into substances that can be utilized by green plants, the substances returning to the air and soil as a result of the decay of the plants and denitrification. Limiting Nutrient- A limiting factor causes a population to decrease in size. A few limiting factors are food, shelter, water, space. Weather- The state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc. |
Climate- The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds, throughout the year, averaged over a series of years.
Polar Zones- The part of the Earth's surface forming a cap over a pole; characterized by frigid climate Temprate Zones- The part of the earth's surface lying between the tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle in the Northern Hemisphere and characterized by having a climate that is warm in the summer, cold in the winter, and moderate in the spring and fall. Tropical Zones- The region of earth near the equator charactarized by its hot climate. Biotic Factors- A living thing, as an animal or plant, that influences or affects an ecosystem Abiotic Factors- A nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat, that influences or affects an ecosystem and the organisms in it. Habbitat- The natural environment of an organism; place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism. Niche- The position or function of an organism in a community of plants and animals. Predation- A relation between animals in which one organism captures and feeds on others. Symbiosis- The living together of two dissimilar organisms, as in mutualism, commensalism, amensalism, or parasitism. Mutualism- A relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association. Commensalism-A symbiotic relationship in which one member of the association benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed. Parasitism- A relation between organisms in which one lives as a parasite on another. Carrying Capicity- The maximum, equilibrium number of organisms of a particular species that can be supported indefinitely in a given environment. Limiting Factor- An environmental factor that tends to limit population size. Density Dependent Limiting Factor- A limiting factor of a population wherein large, dense populations are more strongly affected than small, less crowded ones. Immigration- Migration into a place. Emmigration- Migration out of a place. Exponential Growth- Development at an increasingly rapid rate in proportion to the growing total number or size; a constant rate of growth applied to a continuously growing base over a period of time. Logistic Growth- Population growth in which the growth rate decreases with increasing number of individuals until it becomes zero when the population reaches a maximum. |