Chapter 1: The Living World: Ecosystems (copy)

Ecosystem

A community of living (biotic) organisms interacting with non-living (abiotic) components through various nutrients and energy cycles.

Organism

A living thing that can function on its own.

Species

Organisms that resemble each other and can interbreed, producing fertile offspring.

Population

Organisms of the same species that interact and occupy a specific area.

Community

A population of different species within a specific area.

Ecological Niche

A particular area within a habitat occupied by an organism, encompassing its role within the community.

Generalists

Species able to survive on a wide variety of food resources and withstand diverse environmental conditions.

Specialists

Species that rely on a specific and limited number of prey and are sensitive to environmental changes.

Symbiosis

Any close, long-term biological interaction between different species.

Amensalism

An interaction where one species suffers while the other is unaffected.

Commensalism

An interaction where one species benefits and the other is not affected.

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between members of the same species.

Interspecific Competition

Competition between members of different species.

Mutualism

An interaction where both species benefit.

Parasitism

An interaction where one species benefits at the expense of another.

Predation

The act of predators hunting and killing their prey.

Law of Tolerance

States that species existence and distribution depend on their tolerance to physical and chemical factors.

Limiting Factor

An abiotic factor that limits or prevents the growth of a population.

Morphological Partitioning

Occurs when species share resources but have evolved different structures for resource utilization.

Climatic conditions

Factors such as temperature and precipitation that characterize biomes.

Eutrophication

The process leading to increased nutrients in water bodies, often resulting in algal blooms.

Aquifer

A geologic formation that can store water and supply wells or springs.

Primary Productivity

The rate at which plants synthesize organic compounds from atmospheric or aquatic carbon dioxide.

Trophic Level

The position an organism occupies in a food chain.

Cellular Respiration

The process of oxidizing glucose to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy (ATP).