🌎 Ecology

Ecology

The study of eco and the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world, encompassing different species, ecosystems, and genetic variation; crucial for ecosystem resilience.

Abiotic

The non-living things in the environment.

Biotic

The living things in the environment.

Interdependence

The reliance of members of an ecosystem on each other for survival.

Disturbance

An event that disrupts the harmony of the environment.

Acclimation

The process by which an organism adjusts to a change in its environment during its lifetime.

Adaptation

A genetic change in a species over time that helps it survive in its environment.

Conformers

Organisms that adapt to changes in their environment (e.g., starfish, lizards).

Regulators

Organisms that control their internal conditions (e.g., polar bears).

Niche

The role of an organism within its ecosystem, including its occupation and interactions.

Habitat

The physical environment in which an organism lives.

Generalists

Organisms that have a wide tolerance and can thrive in various environments (e.g., humans).

Specialists

Organisms that have a narrow tolerance and can only thrive in specific environments (e.g., koalas, pandas).

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food (e.g., plants).

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must find it (e.g., humans, bears).

Detrivores

Organisms that scavenge and consume dead organic matter (e.g., vultures, hyenas).

Mutualism

A type of interaction where both organisms benefit (e.g., trees and humans).

Commensalism

A type of interaction where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed (e.g., birds nesting in trees).

Predation

When one organism eats another for energy.

Symbiosis

A close and long-term relationship between two organisms of different species.

Trophic Level

Each step in a food chain, representing the flow of energy.

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)

The rate at which producers in an ecosystem create energy/glucose.

Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

The energy stored as biomass available to other organisms, calculated as GPP minus energy used by producers for respiration.

Sustainable Development

The responsible use of resources to meet present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.

Keystone Species

A species that is critical to the ecosystem's structure; its removal can cause significant changes.