Ecology Unit (Full list)

population

a group of organisms of all the same species that lives in a given area

community

all populations that live in a certain area

biotic factor

living things in an environment

ecosystem

all the organisms that live in a place, together with their physical environment

abiotic factor

non-living things in an environment

symbiosis

close interaction between organisms of a different species

mutualism

symbiotic relationship where both species benefit

commensalism

symbiotic relationship where one species benefits and the other is not affected

parasitism

symbiotic relationship where one species benefits and the other is harmed

predation

when one organism kills and eats another

competition

when two organisms fight over the same resources

emigration

movement of a population out of an area

immigration

movement of a population into an area

carrying capacity

largest population of a species that can be supported in an area

density-dependent factor

factor that does depend on the number of organisms in an area; like the spread of disease

density-independent factor

factor that does not depend on the number of organisms in an area; like a tornado

niche

the conditions in which an organism lives and the way it obtains what it needs to survive

ecology

Study of interactions between organisms and their environment

environment

external surroundings in which an organism lives

resource

anything necessary for life

habitat

Specific environments in which organisms live

exponential growth

Population growth that would occur under ideal conditions with unlimited resources

logistic growth

Population growth that slows or stops following a period of exponential growth

herbivory

where the consumer eats plants

keystone species

A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem

trophic cascade

effects on a community that are created by adding or removing a predator

limiting factor

Something that keeps a population from growing infinitely

population ecology

The study of members of species and how they live together in a specific area.

population density

The number of individuals in a species in an area

generalists

Organisms that eat many different types of food

specialists

Organisms that eat only a certain type of food