Biology/Life Sciences Grade 10 -> Ecology (And some History of Life)

Fauna

Animal Life occurs in a particular region.

Flora

Plant life occurring in a particular region.

Abiotic

Non-Living (e.g.. Soil, rocks, air, temperature)

Biodiversity

A variety of living things on earth and the interaction between them. Includes the different ecosystems.

Biotic

Living (eg. Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria)

Community

Is all the plants and animals that live in a habitat or ecosystem, made up of different organisms.

Competition

When 2 or more individuals challenge each other for the SAME resources that are in short supply.

Greenhouse Effect

Carbon gasses are released from burning fuels and human activity into the atmosphere. These gases trap and absorb the earth's heat and warm up the atmosphere (air). It acts like a greenhouse that traps heat.

Indigenous species

Species of organisms that are naturally found in an ecosystem.

Pollution

Human interferences/interactions which cause waste/may be toxic to the environment or an ecosystem. May be solid, liquid or gas.

Population

A group of organisms of the same species that occupy the same area and can breed freely with each other.

Species

A group of closely related organisms that are very similar looking to each other and are usually capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring.

Biodiversity loss (HIPPO)-> H:

Habitat loss

Biodiversity loss (HIPPO)-> I:

Invasive species

Biodiversity loss (HIPPO) -> P1:

Pollution

Biodiversity loss (HIPPO) -> P2:

Population

Biodiversity loss (HIPPO) -> O:

Overharvesting/overuse

Natural Selection

The Survival of the fittest. Starts the animals with said variation start to die out and eventually there is only one type of said animal. ie. Cheetahs without spots died out, now we only have them WITH spots.

Cambrian Explosion

The massive explosion that started off a chain reaction of organisms on Earth. Sudden and rapid increase in biodiversity.

Mass Extinction

When a species disappears from the earth and there are no individuals left to reproduce and continue the line.

Continental Drift

The breakup and movement of the Earth's continents relative to each other by drifting across the Earth's surface.

An Eon

is a unit of time equal to a billion years

A period

a subdivision of an era and its length determined by a system of dating based on examining fossil evidence to a particular era.

Ailen/Exotic Species

Plants, animals, and other organisms that are not naturally found in an ecosystem.

Biosphere

Part of Earth that supports life - thin layer on Earth's surface.

Carbon Footprint

The total amount of greenhouse gases that are produced by our daily activities and actions.

Deforestation

The Removal of natural forests usually by humans.

Ecology

The study of ecosystems, biotic and abiotic factors.

Ecosystem

Interaction between living and non-living components

Environment

Non-living factors in a specific area (eg. Temperature)

Global Warming

Too much heat energy is being absorbed so the atmosphere is getting warmer.

Habitat

Is the place where organisms live in an ecosystem.

Niche

The interrelationship of a species with all the biotic and abiotic factors affecting it.

Poaching

The illegal killing or removal of animals from an ecosystem.

An era

A division of time within an eon but does not have a fixed number of years.