2. 1. Ecology is
The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

3. The environment consists of:
Biotic Factors (living things)
Plants
Animals
Bacteria, fungi, protists
Abiotic Factors (nonliving things)
Sunlight
Water
Soil
Weather

4. Factors in the environment
Biotic: Things living or were alive.
Abiotic: Nonliving

5. Roles in an ecosystem Habitat: place where an organism lives
Niche: how an organism acts within its ecosystem (Its job)

6. An organism’s habitat Is the environment in which it lives
An organism’s niche is the role it plays in the environment
Fungus = decompose
Plant = to produce food
The niche is the smallest part of the environment
An organism’s niche depends on where its habitat is

7. Population Size Changes Over Time
Limiting Factors are things that keep populations from growing (Slow Population Growth)
Food, Water
Mates
Shelter
The largest population an environment can support is the carrying capacity

8. Organisms compete for
Food
Mates
Water
Living space
Sunlight

9. Predators and Prey Predator does the hunting and eating
Prey is the one being eaten

10. Adaptation
Adaptation is anything that helps an organism survive in its environment. 
It also refers to the ability of living things to adjust to different conditions within their environments. 
Structural adaptation
Protective coloration
Mimicry 
Behavior adaptations
Migration
Hibernation/Estivation

11. Organisms have adaptations to help them survive
Wings – for flying
Long arms – swimming
Gills – life underwater
Special teeth – for eating certain foods
Horns – protection
Coloring - camouflage

12. Structural adaptations
A structural adaptation involves some part of an animal's body.
Teeth
Body coverings   
Movement
A structural adaptation involves some part of an animal's body, such as the size or shape of the teeth, the animal's body covering, or the way the animal moves.  
Teeth - since different animals eat different things, they don't all have the same kind of teeth
Body coverings - Hair, scales, spines, and feathers grow from the skin.  All of these parts help animals survive in their environments.  
Movement - animals find food by moving from place to place

13. Protective Coloration
Coloration and protective resemblance allow an animal to blend into its environment. 
Another word for this might be camouflage.  Their camouflage makes it hard for enemies to single out individuals.  

14. Mimicry
Mimicry allows one animal to look, sound, or act like another animal to fool predators into thinking it is poisonous or dangerous.  
Coral snake (left) very poinsonous & Milk snake (right)

15. Symbiosis is when two different species
Develop a close relationship with each other
Mutualism: two organisms live together and BOTH benefit
Commensalism: two organisms live together but only ONE benefits
Parasitism: one organism benefits while the other is harmed

16. Symbiosis: Close interaction between species
Commensalism: 1 benefits while the other is unaffected.
Parasitism:1 benefits, while the other is harmed
Mutualism: Both Benefit