Studied by 2 peopleproducer
produce energy by capturing sunlight or using chemicals
consumer
organisms that consume other organisms for food
decomposer
cause decay and release nutrients back into the environment
autotroph
another word for producer
heterotroph
another word for consumer
herbivore
only eat plants
carnivore
only eat flesh
omnivore
eat plants or flesh
biotic factors
living factors that affect an ecosystem
abiotic factors
nonliving factors that affect an ecosystem
succession
regular progression species replacement over time
primary succession
ex. after volcano eruption
secondary succession
ex. after forest fire
pioneer species
the first species to populate an area
natural selection
organisms that are more adapted to their environment are more likely to pass on the genes that aided their success
competition
when two or more species compete for the same resources
trophic level
an assigned level in a food chain based on how an organism gets energy
food chain
the path of energy through the trophic level
food web
multiple connected food chains showing the complex interactions within an ecosystem
energy pyramid
diagram that represents the amount of energy stored in each trophic level
biomass
dry weight of living tissue
biomass pyramid
represents the amount of potential food available for each trophic level
population density
the number of individuals in a given area
random dispersion
scattered, not uniform
uniform dispersion
about equal distance apart, forming a pattern
clumped dispersion
grouped in some places, absent in others
limiting factors
something that causes population growth to decrease
symbiosis
a close, long term relationship shared among species
predation
the act of an organism killing another for food
mutualism
relationship in which both participating individuals benefit
parasitism
symbiotic relationship in which one organism is harmed but the other benefits
commenalism
one individual benefits, the other is neither helped nor harmed
neutralism
two species that interact but do not affect one another
niche
the role an organism plays in its ecosystem
biodiversity
the variety of organisms
individual
one organism and is also one type of organism
population
a group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area
community
group or association of populations of two or more different species occupying the same geographical area at the same time
ecosystem
geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to form a bubble of life
biome
biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate
biosphere
global ecosystem composed of living organisms (biota) and the abiotic (nonliving) factors from which they derive energy and nutrients
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Flashcard (54)