112 ch 7,8, and reading

environment

affects an organism during its lifetime

abiotic factors

nonliving things that influence an organism

biotic factors

an organism’s environment include all forms of life

limiting factors

abiotic or biotic, a shortage of a specific factor restricts the success of the species

range of tolerance

A species is the degree to which it can withstand environmental changes

habitat

the space that the organism inhabits

niche

the functional role an organism has in its surroundings

genes

distinct pieces of DNA that determine the characteristics an individual or groups that are different from another group

population

all the organisms of the same kind found within a specific geographic region

species

a population of all the organisms potentially capable of reproducing naturally and producing fertile offspring.

natural selection

the process that determines which individual within a species will reproduce and pass their genes to the next generation

evolution

changes we see in the genes displayed in successive generations of a population over time

speciation

the production of new species from previously existing species

polyploidy

the condition in which an organism has extra sets of chromosomes, often leading to speciation.

extinction

the permanent loss of a species, which can occur due to environmental changes, loss of habitat, or other factors.

coevolution

the process in which two or more species influence each other's evolutionary trajectory, often through mutualistic relationships or interactions such as predation.

predation

the interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts and kills another organism, the prey, for food.

predator

An animal that hunts and kills other organisms for food, impacting prey populations and ecosystems.

competition

the interaction between organisms or species in which both strive for the same resources, often leading to a struggle for survival.

intraspecific competition

competition between members of the same species

interspecific competition

competition between different species

competitive exclusion principle

the concept that no two species can occupy the same ecological niche at the same place at the same time

parasite

An organism that lives on or in a host, deriving nutrients at the host's expense.

symbiosis

a close, long lasting, physical relationship between two different species

host

lives in or on another organism

ectoparasites

parasites that live on the surface of their host

endoparasites

they live inside the bodies of their host

commensalism

a relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

mutualism

a relationship where both organisms benefit from the interaction.

community

a group of interacting organisms of different species living in a shared environment.

consumers

organisms that obtain their energy by consuming other organisms, either by predation or herbivory.

primary consumers or herbivores

organisms that eat plants or autotrophs

secondary consumers or carnivores

organisms that eat primary consumers and obtain energy by consuming other animals.

omnivores

organisms that consume both plants and animals.

decomposers

organisms that break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

producers

organisms that produce their own food, serving as the primary energy source in an ecosystem.

phytoplankton

microscopic organisms that photosynthesize and form the base of the aquatic food web.

keystone species

a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, maintaining the structure of an ecological community.

trophic level

the hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, representing the flow of energy from producers to various consumer levels.

food chain

a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

detritus

decomposed organic matter that provides nutrients for soil and supports various organisms in an ecosystem.

food web

a complex network of interconnected food chains that illustrates how energy and nutrients flow through an ecosystem.

biogeochemical cycles

The natural pathways by which essential elements and compounds move through living organisms and the physical environment, including processes like evaporation, transpiration, and nutrient uptake.

carbon cycle

The series of processes through which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, including photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.

nitrogen cycle

The process by which nitrogen is converted between its various chemical forms, including fixation, nitrification, denitrification, and ammonification, crucial for ecosystem health.

nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Microorganisms that convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, making it available to plants and other organisms, playing a key role in the nitrogen cycle.

free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria that do not require a host plant and can thrive independently in the soil or water, contributing to soil fertility and the nitrogen cycle.

symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Bacteria that live in nodules on the roots of certain plants, such as legumes, and convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by the host plant, enhancing soil fertility.

nitrifying bacteria

Bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrites and then into nitrates, which are usable forms of nitrogen for plants, playing a crucial role in the nitrogen cycle.

denitrifying bacteria

Bacteria that convert nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen, thus completing the nitrogen cycle by reducing nitrogen compounds in the soil.