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Flashcards in Ecology Deck (22)
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1
Q

Ecology

A

study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment

2
Q

Abiotic Factor

A

the non-living parts of the environment or the non-living parts of an organism habit

3
Q

Biotic Factor

A

the living parts of the environment or the living parts of an organisms habit

4
Q

Organism

A

a living thing

5
Q

Species

A

a group of organisms that are physically similar and can mate with each other producing offspring that can reproduce

6
Q

Population

A

all the members of one species in a particular area

7
Q

Population Density

A

the number of a particular species of organism living per unit of area

8
Q

Community

A

all the different populations that live together in an area to make up a community

9
Q

Ecosystem

A

the interaction of all of the biotic factors (community) and all of the abiotic factors

10
Q

Limiting Factor

A

an environmental factor that causes a population to decrease - EXAMPLE: food, water, space, weather conditions

11
Q

Carrying Capacity

A

the largest population that an area can support

12
Q

Niche

A

role of an organism in its habitat (how it makes its living)

13
Q

Producer

A

MAKES food; contains chlorophyll and is able to convert solar energy (SUNLIGHT) into chemical energy (SUGAR); EXAMPLE: grass, trees, flowers, algae, and bacteria

14
Q

Consumer

A

cannot make its food; either eats plants, animals or both

15
Q

Herbivore

A

eats only plants; called a primary consumer (EXAMPLE: deer, rabbits)

16
Q

Carnivore

A

eats meat; called a 2nd order consumer, because it eats animals that eat plants (EXAMPLE: hawk, shark, bird that eats insects)

17
Q

Omnivore

A

eats plants and animals (EXAMPLE: skunk, fox, opossum)

18
Q

Scavenger

A

carnivore that feeds on the bodies of dead organisms (EXAMPLE: vulture)

19
Q

Decomposer

A

breaks down wastes and dead organisms and returns the raw materials to the ecosystem (EXAMPLE: mushroom or other fungi, and bacteria)

20
Q

Predator

A

an organism that kills another organism for food (EXAMPLE: a wolf)

21
Q

Prey

A

organism that is killed for food (EXAMPLE: a rabbit)

22
Q

Competition

A

Struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resources