Ecology and Biodiversity Vocabulary
Terms
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- population
- All the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the same species
- symbiosis
- Any close relationship between species, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism
- mutualism
- A type of symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit
- energy pyramid
- Model that shows the amount of energy available at each feeding level in an ecosystem
- carrying capacity
- Largest number of individuals of a particular species that an ecosystem can support over time
- consumer
- Organism that cannot create energy-rich molecules but obtains its food by eating other organisms
- ecosystem
- All the living organisms that live in an area and the nonliving features of their environment
- producer
- Organism, such as a green plant or alga, that uses an outside source of energy like the Sun to create energy-rich food molecules
- community
- All the populations of different species that live in an ecosystem
- parasitism
- A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits but the other organism is harmed
- biosphere
- Part of Earth that supports life, including the top portion of Earth's crust, the atmosphere, and all the water on Earth's surface
- chemosynthesis
- Process in which producers make energy-rich nutrient molecules from chemicals
- limiting factor
- Anything that can restrict the size of a population, including living and nonliving features of an ecosystem, such as predators or drought
- ecology
- Study of the interactions that occur among organisms and their environment
- food web
- Model that shows the complex feeding relationships among organisms in a community
- habitat
- Place where an organism lives and that provides the types of food, shelter, moisture, and temperature needed for survival
- commensalism
- A type of symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is not affected
- niche
- The unique ways an organism survives, obtains food and shelter, and avoids danger