Bio 4 lsn3

Hierarchy of biological organisation

Atom, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, ecosystem, biome, biosphere

Ecology

Study of how living organisms interact with each other and their physical environment (ecosystems)

Ecosystem

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment (both living and non-living elements)

Population

a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular habitat

Habitat

the non-living part of an ecosystem; The specific natural home or environment where an organism lives

Community

the living part of an ecosystem; All the different populations of various species living and interacting in the same area.

Biome

a distinct geographical region with specific climate, vegetation, and animal life

Biosphere

The part of Earth where life exists, including all living organisms and the environments they interact with

Abiotic factors

non-living components of ecosystem; water, temperature, light, air, pH, saltiness

Biotic factors

living components on ecosystem; competition (for light, space, water, food, etc.) → predation (predator/prey), disease (parasites), grazers (herbivores/primary consumers), decomposers (breakdown decaying material), humans

Ecological tolerance

the range of conditions, such as temperature, salinity, flow rate, and sunlight that an organism can handle before injury/death, applies to species and individuals. Shown with a tolerance curve: middle is ideal, tolerance is to left/right, intolerance is to far left/right where the line stops