Ecosystems Key Terms

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.

Abiotic factors

Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms.

Biotic factors

Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Food chain

A sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass.

Food web

A complex network of interrelated food chains in an ecosystem.

Habitat

The natural environment in which an organism lives, including the physical and biological factors.

Niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Bioaccumulation

The gradual accumulation of substances, such as pesticides or other chemicals, in an organism.

Producer

An organism, typically a plant, that can make its own food through photosynthesis.

Consumer

An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms.

Decomposer

An organism, such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.