community ecology Flashcards
(16 cards)
ecology
study of the interaction between living organisms and their living environments
population
a group of the same species living together in the same place at the same time
ex : moose in adk park
community
populations that live in the same place at the same time
ex: Moose, beaver, owl, grass, trees in adk park
ecosystem
Interactions between a community and the physical environment
biome
A region of similar ecosystems
Biosphere
Portion of earth where life exists
Biotic
Living
Abiotic
Non living
Habitat
An area or place where an organism lives
Niche
The role of an organism in its environment
Energy flow in ecosystems
Energy flows in one direction
Energy moves from one trophic level to the next
Trophic levels ( bottom to top)
Autotrophs / producers (plants)
Primary consumers (bunny)
Secondary / tertiary consumers (lion)
Decomposer (bacteria)
Scavengers ( vulture)
Food chain
Single pathway of energy transfer in an ecosystem
Food web
More accurate than food chains because there are several food sources and several consumers
More diverse
Biomass
Mass of living biological organisms in an ecosystem
Some energy is stored and some is lost as heat
10% of energy is transferred to the next
Symbiosis
Mutualism - both organisms benefit
Commensalism - one benefits, one is not affected
Parasitism - one benefits, one is harmed
