biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving, physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight.
ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions are large areas of land or water, and contain unique groups of natural communities and species
Cottonwood Mesquite Cedar Acacia Prickly pear cactus Mule deer Swift fox Prairie dog Hawk Burrowing owl Pronghorn Antelope Hognose snake Badger
Pecan Post oak Buckeye Elderberry Sycamore Beaver Raccoon Bobwhite quail Scissortail flycatcher Black-capped vireo Golden-cheeked warbler Armadillo Whitetail deer Mexican free-tailed bat Ornate box turtle
Plants and animals of the Pineywoods: Oak Maple Dogwood Cypress Whitetail deer Bull frog Bobcat Striped skunk River otter Short tailed shrew Woodpecker Bald eagle
Plants and animals of Big Bend Country: Prickly pear cactus Yucca Mexican pinyon pine Diamondback rattlesnake Tarantula Pronghorn antelope Coyote Mountain lion Horned lizard Great horned owl Peregrine falcon Javelina Roadrunner
Oak Juniper Mesquite Indigenous grasses (bluestem, indiangrass, buffalograss…) Salamander Cricket frog Armadillo Grebes Raccoon Green-backed heron Ringtail
Silverleaf sunflower Yaupon holly Duckweed Cattail Swallowtail butterfly Red-winged blackbird Crested caracara Indigo snake Texas tortoise
Sweetgum Wax myrtle Muskrat Alligator Bottlenose dolphin Whooping crane Pelican Blue crab Shrimp Roseate spoonbill
degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, or an entire planet!
What is a food chain? A food chain shows how each living thing gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from organism to organism. Grass Caterpillar Bird
What is a food web? Food webs show how different organisms are interconnected by different paths. Food webs are made up of food chains: