Ecology Flashcards
What is ecology
the study of how living things interact with each other and the environment
what are biotic factors
living conditions that impact organisms’ survival
what are abiotic factors
non-living conditions that impact organisms’ survival (competition to others)
What are a species
group of organisms that interbreed to produce offspring (fertile, viable)
what is a hybrid species
When 2 different species produce offspring (they are infertile)
How many chromosomes does an organism have
human=46 (23) pairs
What happens with the chromosomes during reproduction
the chromosomes split in half to gametes
What is a population
groups of organisms of the same species living in the same area together
What is a habitat
The normal living/ environment area for a specific population
What is a community
Group of population that live in a given area and interact
Do communities refer to both abiotic/biotic factors
no they only refer to biotic factors
What is an ecosystem
systems where organisms interact with each other and the environment
What does an ecosystem represent
all the communities in the given area
What is nutrition
uptake of energy/mateirals from environment
What is an autotroph
an organism that synthesis organic molecules from inorganic molecules (io to o)
What are inorganic nutrients
anything released from non-living things, obtained by air, water, soil
What are heterotrophs
organisms that get organic molecules from other organisms (eating, o to io)
What are types of heterotrophs
consumers, scavengers, detritivores, saprotrophs
What are consumers
Feed on living/recently dead things, eat other organisms
What are detritivores
feed on decaying biomass, get nurturant from non-living material
What are saprotrophs
break down organic material (don’t actually eat), live on/in dead organisms to feed off them
