Ecology
the study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment
ecosystem
all of the living and nonliving things interacting in an area
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Grade 7/Finals
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Ecology
the study of the relationship between living organisms and their environment
ecosystem
all of the living and nonliving things interacting in an area
community
all of the living things interacting in an area
population
a group of organisms of the same species living in an area
organism
an individual living thing
biotic factors
living things in an ecosystem
abiotic factors
nonliving things in an ecosystem
5 basic needs for living things to survive
water
food/nutrients
energy
gas exchange
suitable habitat
symbiosis
a relationship between different species where at least one species benefits
mutualism
where both species benefit
commensalism
one species benefits. The other is unaffected
parasitism
one species benefits (parasite) and the other is harmed (host)
waste to biofuels
waste is used to make biofuels, such as ethanol
composting
-organic material, such as food and yard waste is returned to the soil by decomposers
-least impact on the environment
niche
a role an organism plays in its community
producer
makes its own food using energy from the sun and nutrients from the soil
consumer
feeds on other living things
carnivore
feeds on other consumers
herbivores
feeds on producers
omnivores
feeds on both producers and consumers
decomposer
grows on or in dead and waste material from living things
-break down (decompose) the material, absorbing nutrients.
scavenger
feeds on dead/decaying organisms
food chain
a pathway that shows how energy moves from one living things to another
food web
the interconnected food chains in an ecosystem
-one change can impact the entire food web
water cycle
the natural cycle of water through the environment
evaporation
water changes from liquid water to water vapour in the air
transpiration
plants release water vapour into the air
condensation
water vapour in the air condenses into liquid water in clouds
precipitation
water falls to earth as rain or snow
surface runoff
water movement above ground
subsurface runoff
water movement and storage below ground.
water is also stored in glaciers, oceans and lakes
carbon cycle
the natural cycle of carbon through the environment
cellular respiration
living things release C02
combustion
burning releases C02
photosynthesis/plants
plants take in C02 and give out 02
quadrat
a staked out area of an ecosystem, studied by ecologists
-the more quadrats studied, the more accurate the results
bioinvasion
when a non-native species is introduced to an ecosystem. the invasive species multiplies quickly, harming the ecosystem
biological control
a species that is deliberately introduced into an ecosystem to prey on a pest
predator
a carnivore that hunts other animals for food
prey
an animal that is hunted by a predator
competition
when living things compete for limited resources such as space, food and water
weather
changing weather patterns and natural disasters can affect populations
ecological succession
the formation of a new community over time
pioneer species (small)
intermediate species (medium)
climax community (large, not easily replaced)
pollution
occurs when a pollutant is added to the environment at such a fast rate, that it cannot be broken down, storewd or recycled
biomagnification
when chemicals become more concentrated going up the food chain (the top carnivore is most affected)
threatened
a species numbers are declining, but it is not in immediate danger
endangered
a species that is so rare that it is in immediate danger of becoming extinct
extinct
a species that no longer exists on earth
when do scientists monitor
before a disturbance
after a disturbance
when an ecosystem is fragile
ecological footprint
a measurement of the impact our lifestyle has on the environment