science ecology word list

Question 1

What is abiotic?

Answer 1

The non-living components of an ecosystem, e.g. air, water, soil.

Question 2

What is allelopathy?

Answer 2

A relationship where one organism produces chemicals that influence the growth, survival and reproduction of other organisms.

Question 3

What does behavioural adaptation refer to?

Answer 3

An action that an organism carries out that enables it to better survive in its environment, e.g. basking in the sun.

Question 4

What is biodiversity?

Answer 4

The variety of all life forms on Earth.

Question 5

What is biological control?

Answer 5

The reduction of a pest population by the introduction of another organism.

Question 6

What is biomass?

Answer 6

The total mass of all organisms in a given population.

Question 7

What is biotic?

Answer 7

The living components of an ecosystem, e.g. plants, animals and fungi.

Question 8

What is the biosphere?

Answer 8

The sum of all the ecosystems on Earth.

Question 9

What is a carnivore?

Answer 9

An animal whose diet consists primarily of other animals.

Question 10

What is cloning?

Answer 10

The process of producing cells or organisms that are genetically identical to the parent.

Question 11

What is commensalism?

Answer 11

A relationship in which one species benefits and the other is not affected.

Question 12

What is a community?

Answer 12

A group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area.

Question 13

What is a consumer?

Answer 13

An organism that consumes food created by other organisms.

Question 14

What is a decomposer?

Answer 14

Organisms that obtain energy by breaking down dead or decaying organisms.

Question 15

What is ecology?

Answer 15

The scientific study of the interactions of organisms with each other and with their environment.

Question 16

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 16

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Question 17

What is an environment?

Answer 17

The surroundings in which an organism lives.

Question 18

What is feral?

Answer 18

An organism or species which was once domesticated that is now surviving in the wild.

Question 19

What is a habitat?

Answer 19

The natural home or environment of an organism.

Question 20

What is a herbivore?

Answer 20

An animal whose diet consists primarily of plant matter.

Question 21

What is an introduced species?

Answer 21

A non-indigenous species which is living outside its native area.

Question 22

What is mutualism?

Answer 22

A relationship in which both species benefit.

Question 23

What is a niche?

Answer 23

All of a species’ interactions with the biotic and abiotic factors of its environment.

Question 24

What is an omnivore?

Answer 24

An animal whose diet regularly consists of both animal and plant matter.

Question 25

What is parasitism?

Answer 25

A relationship that benefits one species (parasite) and harms the other (host).

Question 26

What is photosynthesis?

Answer 26

A series of chemical reactions involving the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Question 27

What does physiological adaptation mean?

Answer 27

A process occurring within an organism that enables it to better survive in its environment, e.g. sweating.

Question 28

What is a population?

Answer 28

A group of organisms of the same species who live in the same area at the same time.

Question 29

What is a predator?

Answer 29

An organism that kills another organism for food.

Question 30

What is prey?

Answer 30

An organism that is attacked and eaten by a predator.

Question 31

What is a producer?

Answer 31

An organism that creates its own food from photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Question 32

What is respiration?

Answer 32

A series of chemical reactions involving the conversion of glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water and energy.

Question 33

What is selection pressure?

Answer 33

External factors which affect an organism's ability to survive in a given environment.

Question 34

What is a species?

Answer 34

A distinct group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of interbreeding to produce fertile offspring.

Question 35

What is structural adaptation?

Answer 35

A physical feature of an organism that enable it to better survive in its environment, e.g. fur or feathers.

Question 36

What is symbiosis?

Answer 36

Any close and prolonged interaction between individuals of two different species.