Biology Chapter 2: Principles of Ecology (2.1-2.2) – Flashcards
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species
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group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring in nature
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ecology
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scientific study of all the interrelationships between organisms and their environment
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biosphere
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relatively thin layer of Earth and its atmosphere that supports life
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biotic factor
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any living factor in an organism's environment
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abiotic factor
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any nonliving factor in an organism's environment
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population
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group of organisms of the same species that occupy the same geographic place at the same time
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biological community
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all the interacting populations of different species that live in the same geographic location at the same time
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ecosystem
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biological community and all the nonliving factors that affect it
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biome
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large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of communities
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habitat
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physical area in which an organism lives
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niche
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role, or position, of an organism in its environment
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predation
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act of one organism feeding on another organism
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symbiosis
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close mutualistic, parasitic, or commensal association between two or more species that live together
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mutualism
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symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit
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commensalism
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symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is neither helped nor harmed
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parasitism
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symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of another organism
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energy
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the ability to cause change; cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred
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autotroph
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organism that captures energy from sunlight or inorganic substances to produce its own food; provides the foundation of the food supply for other organisms; also called a producer
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heterotroph
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organism that cannot make its own food and gets nutrients and energy requirements by feeding on other organisms; also called a consumer
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herbivore
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heterotroph that eats only plants
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carnivore
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heterotroph that preys on other heterotroph
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omnivore
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heterotroph that consumes both plants and animals
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detritivore
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heterotroph that decomposes organic material and returns the nutrients to soil, air, and water, making the nutrients available to other organisms
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trophic level
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each step in a food chain or food web
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food chain
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simplified model that shows a single path for energy flow through an ecosystem
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food web
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model that shows many interconnected food chains and pathways in which energy and matter flow through an ecosystem
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biomass
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total mass of living matter at each trophic level
