Term
|
Definition
| scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environments |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| life-supposting portions of earth composed of air, land, fresh water, and salt water |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| all the living organisms inhabiting any of earth's many different environments |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| nonliving parts of the environment such as air currents, temperature, soil, light and moisture |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| interbreeding individuals of one species that compete with one another for food, water, and maters and live in the same place at the same time |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| several interacting populations that inhabit aa common environment and are able to function because each organism within the ecosystem depends on other organisms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| populations in a community and abiotic factors with which they interact |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| role of a particular species in a community regarding food, space, reproduction, and how it interacts with abiotic factors |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| collection of niches in which an organism lives its life |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| organisms that are able to synthesize food using sun energy or energy stored in chemical compounds; plants are the most common |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| organisms unable to make their own food, they rely on autotrophs as their nutrient and energy; ie rabbits and cows; also called consumers |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| animal such as a vulture that plays a positive role in the ecosystem by consuming dead organisms and their refuse |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| organisms, such as many bacteria and most fungi, that play beneficial roles in all ecosystems by breaking down and absorbing nutrients |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| permanent, close association between two or more organisms of different species |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| symbiotic relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor helped; ie an orchid growing on a branch |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| symbiotic relations beneficial to both species; ie trees and ants |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| symbiotic relations in which one species benefits at the expense of the the other species; ie ticks and tapeworms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| possible route for the transfer of matter and energy through an ecosystem from autotrophs through heterotrophs and decomposers |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| link represented by each organism in a food chain; represents a feeding step in the transfer of energy and matter in an ecosystem |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| shows all the possible feeding relationships in a community at each trophic level; a network of food chains |
|
|
