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Ecosystems

Terms in this set (30)

Abiotic
describes the nonliving part of the environment, including sunlight, water, air, temperature, and soil.
Biodiversity
the diversity of plant and animal life in a particular habitat
Biosphere
the part of earth where life exists
Biotic
the living organisms in an ecosystem
Carnivore
A consumer that eats only animals
Carrying Capacity
largest number of individuals of a population that a environment can support
Climate Change
a long-term change in weather patterns in a given area
Commensalism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
Community
all the different populations that live together in an area
Competition
The struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resource.
Consumer
An organism that eats producers or other organisms for energy. Made up of herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
Decomposer
organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, that break down and absorb nutrients from dead organisms
Ecosystem
collection of all the organisms that live in a particular place, together with their nonliving environment
Food Chain
a diagram that shows how energy in food flows from one organism to another
Food Web
a diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem and how energy is transferred. A more complete representation of the flow of energy compared to a food chain.
Herbivore
organism that obtains energy by eating only plants
Invasive Species
Species that enter new ecosystems and multiply, harming native species and their habitats
Levels of Organization in the Environment from smallest to largest
Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere
Limiting Factors
Anything that limits (restricts) the size of a population
Mutualism
symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship
Omnivore
Organism that obtains energy by eating both plants and animals
Organism
an individual living thing
Overpopulation
a situation in which too many animals compete for the natural resources in an area
Parasitism
A symbotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed
Pollution
anything added to the environment that is harmful to living things
Population
a group of organisms of the same species living in a given area
Predator
animal that hunts and eats other animals
Prey
animal hunted or caught for food
Producer
an organism that makes its own food from the environment; usually a green plant
Symbiosis
A close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.
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