Ch. 15 Flashcards
(17 cards)
What is the study of how living things interact with one another and with their physical environment?
ecology
What is an organism’s environment or home called?
habitat
What are the living things in an environment referred to as?
biotic factors
What are the non-living things that affect the environment called?
abiotic factors
What is defined as an interrelated network of all organisms and their environments within a limited area?
ecosystem
What does an ecosystem’s stability refer to?
its ability to maintain and recover from changes
What factors cause ecosystems to constantly change?
changing biotic, abiotic factors, and population
What is the term for the movement of organisms into a population?
immigration
What is the term for the movement of organisms out of a population?
emigration
What is the broadest level of ecology?
biosphere
What is a biome identified by?
climax vegetation and distinctive animals
What is the basic unit of ecology?
ecosystem
What comprises all living things in an ecosystem?
community
What is a group of organisms of the same species in an ecosystem called?
population
What is the smallest unit in ecology?
organism
What is the number and variety in an ecosystem known as?
biodiversity
Fill in the blank: Energy transfer in an ecosystem primarily occurs through _______.
food
