ECOLOGY VOCAB

ECOLOGY THE STUDY OF INTERACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE AMONG ORGANISMS AND BETWEEN THE ORGANISMS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

BIOSPHERE THE PART OF THE EARTH THAT SUPPORTS LIFE INCLUDING THE LAND, WATER, AND ATMOSPHERE

HYDROSPHERE ALL THE WATER ON EARTH INCLUDING WATER ON THE SURFACE AND IN THE ATMOSPHERE

ECOSPHERE THE PLANETARY ECOSYSTEM INCLUDING ALL ORGANISMS AND THEIR PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

THE GASEOUS ENVELOPE SURROUNDING THE EARTH ATMOSPHERE THE GASEOUS ENVELOPE SURROUNDING THE EARTH

ECOSYSTEM THE INTERACTION OF ORGANISMS (BIOTIC FACTORS) AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT (ABIOTIC FACTORS)

LIVING OR ONCE- LIVING ORGANISMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT BIOTIC FACTORS LIVING OR ONCE- LIVING ORGANISMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

ABIOTIC FACTORS NON-LIVING, PHYSICAL FEATURES IN AN ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS SOIL, SUNLIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AIR, AND WATER

ALL THE INDIVIDUALS OF THE SAME SPECIES THAT LIVE IN A GIVEN AREA POPULATION ALL THE INDIVIDUALS OF THE SAME SPECIES THAT LIVE IN A GIVEN AREA

GROUPS OF POPULATIONS THAT INTERACT TOGETHER IN A GIVEN AREA COMMUNITY GROUPS OF POPULATIONS THAT INTERACT TOGETHER IN A GIVEN AREA

LIMITING FACTORS ANY BIOTIC OR ABIOTIC FACTOR THAT RESTRICTS THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN A POPULATION

SYMBIOSIS THE LIVING TOGETHER OF TWO DISSIMILAR ORGANISMS IN A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP

MUTUALISM A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH BOTH SPECIES BENEFIT EXAMPLE: YUCCA MOTH (POLLINATES YUCCA FLOWER) AND DESERT YUCCA PLANT (GIVES SHELTER AND FOOD TO MOTH)

COMMENSALISM A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH ONE PARTNER BENEFITS BUT DOESN’T HARM OR HELP THE OTHER. EXAMPLE: CLOWNFISH TAKES SHELTER IN ANEMONES

PARASITISM A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH BENEFITS THE PARASITE AND HARMS THE HOST EXAMPLE: TAPEWORMS IN HUMANS

THE PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE AN ORGANISM LIVES HABITAT THE PHYSICAL LOCATION WHERE AN ORGANISM LIVES

NICHE THE ROLE OF AN ORGANISM IN AN ECOSYSTEM EXAMPLE: WHAT IT EATS, HOW IT GETS FOOD, HOW IT INTERACTS WITH OTHER ORGANISMS

AUTOTROPH/ PRODUCER ORGANISMS THAT CAPTURE ENERGY FROM THE SUN TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN FOOD Aka PRODUCERS

HETEROTROPH/ CONSUMER ORGANISMS THAT MUST EAT OTHER ORGANISMS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ENERGY Aka CONSUMERS

A diagram of how energy in food flows from one organism to another. FOOD CHAIN A diagram of how energy in food flows from one organism to another.

A diagram the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem FOOD WEB A diagram the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem

DECOMPOSER ORGANISMS THAT BREAK DOWN DEAD ORGANISMS IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ENERGY MAINLY BACTERIA AND FUNGI

ORGANISMS THAT KILL AND EAT OTHER ANIMALS PREDATOR ORGANISMS THAT KILL AND EAT OTHER ANIMALS

ORGANISMS THAT ARE EATEN BY PREDATORS PREY ORGANISMS THAT ARE EATEN BY PREDATORS

MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL INTERACTION AMONG SPECIES IN AN AREA COOPERATION MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL INTERACTION AMONG SPECIES IN AN AREA

A CONSUMER THAT EATS ONLY PLANTS HERBIVORE A CONSUMER THAT EATS ONLY PLANTS

A CONSUMER THAT EATS ANIMALS CARNIVORE A CONSUMER THAT EATS ANIMALS

A CONSUMER THAT EATS BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS OMNIVORE A CONSUMER THAT EATS BOTH PLANTS AND ANIMALS

BIODIVERSITY The existence of many different species of plants and animals in an ecosystem.

THE LARGEST POPULATION THAT AN ENVIRONMENT CAN SUPPORT CARRYING CAPACITY THE LARGEST POPULATION THAT AN ENVIRONMENT CAN SUPPORT