igcse bio ecology

population

all the organisms of a particular species found in an ecosystem at any one time

community

population of all species found in a particular ecosystem at any one time

habitat

places where specific live, including biotic and abiotic componenets

ecosystem

a distinct, self supporting system of organisms interacting with each other with the physical environment

trophic level

different feeding levels in a food chain

producers

plants that photosynthesise to produce foodc

consumers

animals that eats plants/ other animals

primary consumers

herbivores; organism that feeds on producers

secondary consumers

carnivores; organism that feeds on primary consumer

teritiary consumers

organisms that feeds on secondary consumers

quaternary consumer

top carnivores; organism that feeds on teritiary consumers

decomposers

organisms that break down dead material to help recycle nutrients

carnivore

animal that feeds on other animals

herbivore

animal that feeds on plants

omnivore

animals that feeds on both plants and animals

predators

consumers that hunt and kill other consumers for food

prey

animals that are hunted and killed

scavenger

consumers that eat other consumers that have already died

food chains

feeding relationships in an ecosystem

foodweb

interconnected foodchains showing the feeding relationships in an ecosystem

interdependence

population size of one organism has a direct effect on the population size of their organisms in a food web

biotic

living factors which can affect an ecosystem

abiotic

non-living parts (chemical and pysical factors) of the environment that can affect an ecosystem

biodiversity

the variation of number and abundance of species in an ecosystem

pollution

the contamination of the environment by harmful substances that are produced by the activities of humans