Ecosystems 1.1

Biome

A large area with similar climate conditions that determine plant and animal species there.

Mutualism

A relationship that benefits both organisms.

Competition

Organisms fighting over a resource like food or shelter; limits population size.

Predation

One organism using another for energy source.

Commensalism

A relationship that benefits one organism and doesn't impact the other.

Herbivores

Organisms that eat plants for energy.

True predators

Carnivores that kill and eat prey for energy.

Parasites

Organisms that use a host organism for energy, often without killing the host.

Parasitoids

Organisms that lay eggs inside a host organism, and the larvae eat the host for energy.

Symbiosis

Any close and long-term interaction between two organisms of different species.

Resource partitioning

Different species using the same resource in different ways to reduce competition.

Temporal partitioning

Using a resource at different times to reduce competition.

Spatial partitioning

Using different areas of a shared habitat to reduce competition.

Morphological partitioning

Using different resources based on different evolved body features.