Ecology - Definitions

Ecology definitions

Ecology

Ecology is the study of interactions between groups of organisms and their environment

Ecosystem

An ecosystem consists of organisms and their interactions with the environment

Biosphere

The biosphere is the part of the earth and it’s atmosphere in which life can exist

Competition

Competition is the struggle between organisms for resources that are in short supply such as food and light

Biotic

An organisms influence on other organisms

Abiotic

The influence of a non-living part of the environment on an organism

Climatic

Climatic factors are the weather conditions that effect organisms

Aquatic

Aquatic factors effect organisms that live in water

Edaphic

Edaphic factors are soil factors that effect an organism

Producers

Producers make their own food using energy from the sun

Consmers

Organisms that feed on other organisms

Producers

Eaten by secondary consumers

Primary consumers

Eaten by secondary consumers

Food chain

A food chain is the feeding relationship between organisms in which energy is transferred

Tropic level

Feeding level in a food chain

Food web

Consists of two or more intersecting food chains

Pyramid of numbers

Used to show the number of organisms each trophies level of a food chain

Habitat

The place an organism lives

Niche

Role of an organism in an ecosystem

Decomposer

Feed on dead and decaying plants and animals

Population

Number of a particular species living in a particular ecosystem

Competition

When two or more organisms fight for a resource that is in short supply

Contest competition

Active physical confrontation between two or more organisms where only one wins the resource

Scramble competition

A struggle between organisms for a scarce resource in the which each organisms gets some of the resource

Predation

Act of hunting killing and eating prey

Symbiosis

Close relationship between two organisms of different species in which at least one of them benefit

Multalism (Symbiosis)

Both benefit

Parasitism (symbiosis)

Only one benefit

population dynamics

Study of change that occur in a population and the factors that cause these changes

Pollution

Addition of any harmful substance to the environment by humans

Conservativation

Wise management of our environment to ensure the survival of organisms and their habitats