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Abiotic

Non-living physical and chemical factors in an environment, such as temperature, light, water, minerals, and pH that influence living organisms.

Adaptation

The process by which organisms develop traits that help them survive and reproduce in their environment, or the inherited characteristics that result from this process.

Aerobic

Requiring oxygen for survival and metabolic processes; refers to organisms or processes that use oxygen.

Ammonification

The decomposition process where organic nitrogen compounds are converted to ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium ions (NH₄⁺) by decomposer organisms.

Anaerobic

Not requiring oxygen for survival; refers to organisms or processes that occur in the absence of oxygen.

Assimilation

The process by which organisms absorb and incorporate nutrients from their environment into their own tissues and biomolecules.

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own food from inorganic substances using energy from light (photosynthesis) or chemical reactions (chemosynthesis).

Average

A statistical measure representing the central tendency of a data set, calculated by dividing the sum of all values by the number of values.

Background extinction

The normal, gradual rate of species extinction that occurs naturally over geological time periods.

Bacteria

Single-celled prokaryotic microorganisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and play crucial roles in nutrient cycling and ecosystem processes.

Benthos

Organisms that live on or in the bottom sediments of aquatic environments, including lakes, rivers, and oceans.

Biodiversity

The variety of life on Earth, encompassing genetic diversity within species, species diversity within ecosystems, and ecosystem diversity within regions.

Biogeochemical cycle

The movement and transformation of chemical elements and compounds through living organisms, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

Biological diversity

Another term for biodiversity; the variety of living organisms and their genetic differences at all levels of organization.

Biome

A large geographic region characterized by similar climate conditions and distinctive plant and animal communities.

Biosphere

The global sum of all ecosystems; the zone of life on Earth including land, water, and atmosphere where living organisms exist.

Biotic

Living or once-living components of an environment, including all organisms and their products.

Deciduous plants

Plants that shed their leaves seasonally, typically in autumn in temperate climates, as an adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

Carbon cycle

The biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of carbon through the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

Carbon sink

A natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs and stores more carbon than it releases, helping to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.

Carnivore

An organism that primarily feeds on other animals; a consumer that obtains energy by eating other consumers.

Climax community

The final, stable stage of ecological succession where the community composition remains relatively constant over time.

Coastal wetland

Aquatic ecosystems found along coastlines where saltwater and freshwater mix, including marshes, swamps, and estuaries.

Commensalism

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

Community

All the different populations of organisms that live and interact in the same area at the same time.

Competitive exclusion

The principle that two species with identical ecological niches cannot coexist indefinitely in the same habitat.

Coniferous trees

Evergreen trees that produce cones and have needle-like or scale-like leaves, typically adapted to cold or dry conditions.

Coral reef

A diverse marine ecosystem built by coral polyps, found in warm, shallow tropical waters and supporting high biodiversity.

Decomposer

Organisms, primarily bacteria and fungi, that break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the ecosystem.

Denitrification

The process by which bacteria convert nitrates (NO₃⁻) back to nitrogen gas (N₂), returning nitrogen to the atmosphere.

Detritivore

An organism that feeds on detritus (dead organic matter), playing a crucial role in nutrient recycling.

Detritus

Dead organic matter, including fallen leaves, dead animals, and waste products that decompose in ecosystems.

Detritus feeder

Another term for detritivore; an organism that consumes dead organic matter.

Diffusion

The passive movement of molecules from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration across a permeable barrier.

Ecological diversity

The variety of ecosystems, communities, and habitats within a geographic region.

Ecological niche

The role and position an organism has in its environment, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other organisms.

Ecology

The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment, including both biotic and abiotic factors.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment as a functional unit.

Endangered species

A species at risk of extinction due to small population size, habitat loss, or other threatening factors.

Endemic species

Species that are native to and found only in a specific geographic region or ecosystem.

Energy productivity

The rate at which energy is captured and converted into biomass by organisms in an ecosystem.

Estuary

A partially enclosed coastal water body where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the ocean.

Evolution

The process of change in the inherited characteristics of populations of organisms over successive generations.

Extinction

The permanent disappearance of a species from Earth when the last individual dies.

First law of thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another; also known as the law of conservation of energy.

Food chain

A linear sequence showing the transfer of energy and nutrients from one organism to another through feeding relationships.

Food web

A complex network of interconnected food chains showing all the feeding relationships within an ecosystem.

Fundamental niche

The full range of environmental conditions and resources an organism could potentially use in the absence of competition.

Generalist species

Species that can survive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can use many different resources.

Genetic diversity

The variety of genes and genetic characteristics within a species or population.

Geographic isolation

The physical separation of populations by geographic barriers, preventing gene flow and potentially leading to speciation.

Gross primary productivity (GPP)

The total amount of energy captured by producers through photosynthesis in an ecosystem.

Groundwater

Water that exists underground in the spaces between soil particles and rock formations.

Habitat

The natural environment where an organism lives and meets all its needs for survival and reproduction.

Herbivore

An organism that feeds primarily on plants; a primary consumer in food webs.

Heterotroph

An organism that cannot produce its own food and must consume other organisms for energy and nutrients.

Host

An organism that provides shelter, nutrients, or other resources to another organism, often in parasitic or symbiotic relationships.

Hydrologic cycle

The continuous movement of water through the environment via evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.

Indicator species

Species whose presence, absence, or abundance indicates specific environmental conditions or ecosystem health.

Infiltration

The process by which water on the surface enters the soil through pore spaces and cracks.

Interspecific competition

Competition for resources between individuals of different species.

Intraspecific competition

Competition for resources between individuals of the same species.

Keystone species

A species that has a disproportionately large impact on ecosystem structure and function relative to its abundance.

Kilocalorie (kcal)

A unit of energy measurement equal to 1,000 calories, commonly used to measure energy content in food and ecosystems.

Law of conservation of energy

The principle that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.

Law of conservation of matter

The principle that matter cannot be created or destroyed in chemical reactions, only rearranged.

Leaching

The process by which water removes soluble nutrients and minerals from soil, often carrying them to deeper layers or waterways.

Limiting factor

Any environmental factor that restricts the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism or population.

Mass extinction

A widespread and rapid decrease in biodiversity where a significant percentage of species become extinct in a relatively short period.

Median (statistical)

The middle value in a data set when values are arranged in numerical order; a measure of central tendency.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit from their interaction.

Natural selection

The process by which organisms with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to evolutionary change.

Net energy

The amount of energy remaining after subtracting the energy used to obtain that energy; useful energy available to do work.

Net primary productivity (NPP)

The amount of energy left after producers use energy for their own respiration; energy available to consumers.

Niche

The role and position an organism has in general, including its use of resources and interactions with other species across multiple biomes where the organism can exist.

Nitrogen cycle

The biogeochemical cycle that transforms nitrogen through various chemical forms as it circulates through the atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere.

Nitrogen fixation

The process of converting atmospheric nitrogen gas (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃) or related compounds that organisms can use.

Nitrification

The two-step process by which bacteria convert ammonia to nitrites and then to nitrates, making nitrogen available to plants.

Omnivore

An organism that feeds on both plants and animals; can function as both primary and secondary consumer.

Parasitism

A symbiotic relationship where one organism (parasite) benefits at the expense of another organism (host).

Phosphorus cycle

The biogeochemical cycle that moves phosphorus through rocks, soil, water, and living organisms.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and other autotrophs use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic marine and freshwater plants that float near the water's surface and form the base of aquatic food webs.

Plankton

Small organisms that drift or float in water bodies, including both plant-like (phytoplankton) and animal-like (zooplankton) forms.

Pioneer species

The first species to colonize previously uninhabited areas during primary succession.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time.

Precipitation

Water that falls from the atmosphere to Earth's surface in forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Predation

The interaction where one organism (predator) hunts, kills, and consumes another organism (prey).

Primary consumer

An organism that feeds directly on producers; typically herbivores in the first consumer level of a food web.

Primary productivity

The rate at which producers convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

Primary succession

The gradual colonization of bare rock or other lifeless substrates by living organisms over time.

Producer

An organism that creates its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis; forms the base of food webs.

Pyramid of energy flow

A diagram showing the flow of energy through different trophic levels, with energy decreasing at each higher level.

Range (statistical)

The difference between the highest and lowest values in a data set; a measure of variability.

Reproductive isolation

The inability of different species or populations to produce viable, fertile offspring together.

Respiration

The process by which organisms break down glucose and other organic molecules to release energy for cellular activities.

Resource partitioning

The division of limited resources among competing species to reduce direct competition.

Riparian zones

The interface between land and water ecosystems along rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies.

Runoff

Water from precipitation that flows over land surfaces toward streams, rivers, and other water bodies.

Scavenger

An organism that feeds on dead animals and organic waste, helping to clean up ecosystems.