7.1 Levels of Ecological Organization — Memorize for Matching Set 7

Organism

A single living individual (e.g., one wolf, one oak tree). Smallest ecological unit.

Population

All members of the SAME species living in the same area at the same time (e.g., all wolves in Yellowstone).

Community

All populations of DIFFERENT species interacting in the same area (e.g., all plants, animals, fungi in a forest).

Ecosystem

A community PLUS all the nonliving (abiotic) factors — water, sunlight, soil, temperature.

Biosphere

ALL living organisms on Earth plus the areas they inhabit. Largest ecological level.

Biotic Factors

LIVING components of an ecosystem: plants, animals, fungi, bacteria, etc.

Abiotic Factors

NONLIVING components: sunlight, water, temperature, soil, air, pH, salinity.

Habitat

The specific place in an ecosystem where an organism lives and finds what it needs to survive.

Niche

An organism's role in its ecosystem — what it eats, when it's active, how it reproduces, where it lives.