ECOLOGY The study of the environment and the interactions between living things and their biotic and abiotic surroundings.

Environment  Environment: A description of one’s surroundings.  Biotic: living environment.  Abiotic: non-living, physical environment.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors  Abiotic Factors are non-living. –Light –Heat –Water –Wind –Oxygen –Carbon Dioxide –Soil Nutrients  Biotic Factors are living. –Consumers (Animals, Humans) –Producers (Green plants) –Decomposers (Bacteria, Saprophytic Fungi)

Biosphere  The parts of Earth in which life exists. It is composed of numerous and complex ecosystems.

Ecosystem  A living community functioning interdependently with the non-living environment in a stable, self-sustaining system.

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BIOME  A large ecosystem defined by specific climate, flora (plant life), and fauna (animal life).

Community  A description of the types and numbers of living things in an area.

Population  A description of the number of one specific species in an area.

Habitat  A description of the environment of a specific organism.

Biodiversity  The condition of having many forms of life in an ecosystem.