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RRISD- 6th and 7th Ecology Review---CTMS

Terms in this set (42)

Biotic factor
organisms in an ecosystem
Abiotic factor
nonliving factors in an ecosystem
Habitat
place where an organism lives
Microhabitat
a small specialized habitat within a larger habitat.
Ecosystem
a system formed by the interaction organisms with the aboitic and biotic factors in their environment
Biome
group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms
Ecoregion
an area defined by its environmental conditions, landforms, and soil characteristics
Organism
a living thing that has the ability to act or function independently
Species
a taxonomic group whose members can interbreed
Population
a group of organisms of the same species populating a given area
Community
a group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other
Biodiversity
the variety of different organisms in an ecosystem
Sustainability
able to last or continue for a long time
Producer
an organism that uses energy to produce its own food
Consumer
an organism that obtains energy by eating other organisms
Autotroph
an organism capable of making its own food from photosynthesis
Heterotroph
an organism that consumes plants and other producers to obtain energy
Herbivore
any animal that feeds chiefly on plants and other producers
Carnivore
any animal that feeds on flesh of other animals
Omnivore
an animal that feeds on both animal and plant substances
Scavenger
an animal that feeds on decaying organic matter
Decomposer
an organism that obtains energy by breaking down other organisms
Food web
an interconnected series of food chains within an ecosystem
Food chain
A diagram showing how energy passes from one organism to the next in an ecosystem
Energy pyramid
a tool that shows the energy at each level in an ecosystem
Primary consumer
consumers that get energy from producers
Photosynthesis
plants use energy from sunlight and carbon dioxide to produce glucose and oxygen
Glucose
a type of sugar
Cycle
recur in repeating sequences
Nutrient
something that can be used by an organism to give energy and help it grow
Compost
a mixture of decaying plants and other material
Equilibrium
Balanced or stable conditions
Catastrophic event
disastrous event that disrupts an ecosystem
Climax community
a community that has reached a steady state
Primary succession
succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists
Secondary succession
succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil
Pioneer species
first species to populate an area during primary succession
Lichen
plant like organism in which acid from its roots break down rock
Behavioral Adaptation
an inherited behavior that helps an organism survive
Structural Adaptation
an adaptation of an organism's body parts or its coloring
Variation
Any difference between individuals of the same species.
evolution
A change in a species over time
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