Ecology & Environmental Science Key Terms and Definitions

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms in Ecology and Environmental Science.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Biotic Factors

The living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, animals, and bacteria.

Abiotic Factors

The non-living components of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, water, and soil.

Food Chain

A linear sequence showing how energy is transferred from one organism to another.

Food Web

A complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem.

Producer (Autotroph)

An organism, like plants, that makes its own food using sunlight or chemicals.

Consumer (Heterotroph)

An organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms.

Decomposer

Organisms, like fungi and bacteria, that break down dead matter and recycle nutrients.

Detritivore

A type of decomposer that feeds on dead organic material, such as earthworms and certain insects.

Trophic Level

A step in a food chain or food web representing an organism's feeding position.

Energy Pyramid

A diagram that shows energy flow in an ecosystem, with less energy available at higher levels.

Energy Rule (10% Rule)

A principle stating that only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, with the rest lost as heat.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals an environment can support.

Limiting Factor

A condition that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism.

Keystone Species

A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its ecosystem, often shaping the structure and stability of the community.

Ecological Succession

The natural process of change in species composition in an ecosystem over time.

Primary Succession

The establishment of an ecosystem in an area with no prior life, such as after a volcanic eruption.

Pioneer Species

The first species to colonize barren environments during primary succession, like lichens and mosses.

Secondary Succession

The recovery of an ecosystem after a disturbance, like a wildfire or flood.

Climax Community

A stable, mature ecosystem that has reached the final stage of succession.

Carbon Cycle

The movement of carbon through the atmosphere, organisms, and the Earth.

Nitrogen Cycle

The process of nitrogen moving between the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

Climate Change

Long-term changes in global temperature and weather patterns due to human activities and natural causes.

Deforestation

The removal of forests, often for agriculture or urban development, leading to habitat loss.

Pollution

The introduction of harmful substances into the environment that negatively impact organisms.

Invasive Species

A non-native species that spreads rapidly and disrupts ecosystems.

Sustainability

Using resources in a way that meets present needs without harming future generations.

Heterozygous advantage

A situation in genetics where individuals who have two different alleles for a specific gene (heterozygous) have a greater fitness or survival rate than individuals who are homozygous for either allele.

Fitness

The ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.

Niche

The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other organisms.

Resource partitioning

The process by which competing species or individuals use different resources or use resources in different ways to reduce competition and coexist in an ecosystem.

Predation

The biological interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts and consumes another organism, the prey, for energy.

Competition

The interaction between organisms or species in which they compete for limited resources such as food, water, or space, often influencing population dynamics and community structure.

Symbiosis

The interaction between two different organisms living in close physical proximity, often to the mutual benefit of both species.

Parasitism

A relationship where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of another organism, the host, often causing harm.

Mutualism

A type of symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.

Commensalism

A relationship where one organism benefits from another without affecting it, often seen in species interactions.

Biome

A large ecological area on the Earth's surface, with flora and fauna adapting to their environment, such as deserts, forests, and grasslands.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Community

A group of interacting species that inhabit a particular area, sharing resources and competing for survival.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species inhabiting a specific area, capable of interbreeding and sharing resources.

Species

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring, sharing common characteristics and genetic makeup.

Scientific Name

The formal, Latin-based name used to identify a species, consisting of the genus and species identifiers, such as Homo sapiens for humans.

Linnaeus

A Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist known as the father of modern taxonomy, who developed the binomial nomenclature system for naming organisms.

Darwin

An English naturalist known for his contributions to the theory of evolution, particularly through the mechanism of natural selection.

Habitat

The natural environment in which a species or community of organisms lives, providing them with food, shelter, and other necessary resources.

Conservation

The practice of protecting and preserving natural environments and wildlife to maintain biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of resources.

Global Warming

The long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which increases greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.