Ecology and Classification Honors 2023 (mrs. green h biology metuchen 9)

What is a Trophic Level?

Position in food chain

What is the Biosphere?

All living things on Earth

What is an Ecosystem?

Living and non-living things in an area

What is a Community?

All living things in an area

What is a Population?

All members of a species in an area

What is Abiotic?

Non-living things in an ecosystem

What is Biotic?

Living things in an ecosystem

What are Biomes?

Large ecosystems with similar climate

What is an Oligotrophic Lake?

Low-nutrient lake

What is an Eutrophic Lake?

High-nutrient lake

What is a Savanna?

Grassy plain with few trees

What is a Temperate Deciduous Forest?

Forest with four seasons

What is the Tundra?

Cold, treeless biome

What is the Taiga?

Cold forest biome

What is a Coral Reef?

Marine ecosystem with coral

What is the Open Ocean?

Deep ocean away from shore

What is the Tropical Rainforest?

Warm, wet biome with high biodiversity

What is Permafrost?

Permanently frozen soil

What is the Photic Zone?

Upper layer of water with sunlight

What is the Aphotic Zone?

Lower layer of water without sunlight

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Warming of Earth's atmosphere

What is Photosynthesis?

Process of making food from sunlight

What is Cellular Respiration?

Process of making energy from food

What is the Carbon Cycle?

Movement of carbon through ecosystems

What is Competition?

Struggle for resources

What is Mutualism?

Both species benefit

What is Commensalism?

One species benefits, other unaffected

What is Predation?

One species kills and eats another

What is Parasitism?

One species benefits, other harmed

What is a Predator?

Kills and eats other species

What is Prey?

Species killed and eaten by predator

What is a Parasite?

Lives on or in another species

What is a Host?

Species that a parasite lives on or in

What is a Trophic Cascade?

Effect of changes in one trophic level on others

What is Exponential Growth?

Rapid population growth, unlimited resources

What is Logistic Growth?

Population growth that slows as it reaches carrying capacity, limited resources

What is Carrying Capacity?

Maximum population size an area can sustain

What is a Limiting Factor?

Factor that limits population growth

What is a Density Dependent Limiting Factor?

Limiting factor affected by population size

What is a Density Independent Limiting Factor?

Limiting factor not affected by population size

What is a Keystone Species?

Species that has a large impact on ecosystem

What is an Ecological Niche?

Role of a species in an ecosystem

What is a Generalist?

Species that can survive in many environments

What is a Specialist?

Species that can only survive in specific environments

What is Resource Partitioning?

Species divide resources to avoid competition

What is Taxonomy?

Classification of living things

What are Decomposers?

Break down dead organisms

What are Scavengers?

Organisms that eat dead organisms left over by predators

What is a Herbivore?

Eats only plants

What is a Carnivore?

Eats only meat

What is an Omnivore?

Eats both plants and meat

What is a Domain?

Highest level of classification

What is a Kingdom?

Second highest level of classification, directly below Domain

What is a Phylum?

Third level of classification, directly below Kingdom

What is a Class?

Fourth level of classification, directly below Phylum

What is an Order?

Fifth level of classification, directly below Class

What is a Family?

Sixth level of classification, directly below Order

What is a Genus?

Seventh level of classification, directly below Family

What is a Species?

A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring.

What is Binomial Nomenclature?

Two-part naming system for species

What is Ventral?

Underside of an animal

What is Dorsal?

Back of an animal

What is Anterior?

Towards the head or mouth of an animal

What is Posterior?

Rear of an animal

What is an Independent Variable?

Variable that is changed in an experiment

What is a Dependent Variable?

Variable that is measured in an experiment