Unit Twelve - Ecology Flashcards
(14 cards)
Definition of Ecosystem
A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.
Definition of Biome
A large geographic area characterized by specific climate, plants, and animals
Definition of Producer
An organism, like plants or algae, that creates its own food through photosynthesis
Definition of Primary Consumer
An organism that eats producers, typically herbivores.
Definition of Secondary Consumer
An organism that eats primary consumers, usually carnivores or omnivores.
Definition of Tertiary Consumer
An organism that eats secondary consumers, often top predators.
Definition of Limiting Factors
Environmental conditions that restrict population growth, such as food, water, or space.
Definition of Carrying Capacity
The maximum number of organisms an environment can support sustainably.
How does energy relate to the feeding level?
Energy moves through trophic levels, decreasing as it passes from producers to higher consumers.
Definition of Abiotic Factors
Non-living components of an ecosystem, like temperature, sunlight, and water.
Definition of Overshoot
When a population exceeds the environment’s carrying capacity, leading to resource depletion and eventual decline of the population
Definition of Ecological Succession
What are the different types of succession?
