Biology 1/17

Population

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

Community

All the populations of different species living and interacting in the same area.

Biotic Factors

All living organisms in an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living physical and chemical elements in an ecosystem.

Energy Pyramid

A model that illustrates the energy flow and the decrease in energy at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food using sunlight (photosynthesis) or chemical energy (chemosynthesis).

Consumers

Organisms that get energy by eating other organisms.

Decomposer

Organisms that break down dead organisms and return nutrients to the soil.

Predator-Prey

A relationship where one organism (predator) hunts and eats another (prey).

Food Web

A complex network showing how energy flows through an ecosystem with multiple feeding relationships.

The 10% Rule

Only 10% of energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next; 90% is lost as heat or used in metabolism.

Carbon Cycle

The cycle describing how carbon moves through the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants, algae, and cyanobacteria convert carbon dioxide into glucose using sunlight.

Water Cycle

The cycle that describes how water moves through Earth's systems (atmosphere, land, oceans).

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Human activities increase greenhouse gas levels, trapping more heat and causing global warming.

Deforestation

The process of cutting or burning forests which increases atmospheric CO₂ levels.