Ecology and Ecosystems

These flashcards encompass key terms and concepts related to ecology, ecosystems, and the interactions between organisms and their environment.

Trophic Level

A hierarchical level in an ecosystem, such as producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, or decomposer.

Food Chain

A series of organisms each dependent on the next as a source of food; shows the one-way flow of energy.

Food Web

A network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

10% Rule

A principle stating that only 10% of the total energy produced at each trophic level is available to the next level.

Producer/Autotroph

An organism that can make its own food; includes plants, algae, and some bacteria.

Consumer/Heterotroph

An organism that acquires energy by feeding on other organisms; includes animals, fungi, and most bacteria.

Detritivore

An organism that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter.

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms; includes earthworms, bacteria, and fungi.

Limiting Factor

A factor that has a great effect on limiting population growth; can be density dependent (like competition and predation) or density independent (like natural disasters).

Symbiosis

A close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.

Mutualism

A relationship between two species in which both species benefit.

Parasitism

A relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is harmed.

Commensalism

A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.

Fitness

An organism's ability to pass its genetic material to its offspring.

Niche

An organism's particular role in an ecosystem.

Carrying Capacity

The largest number of individuals that an environment can support.

Biodiversity

The variety of living things in an ecosystem.

Biotic

Factors that are living; includes bacteria, archaea, fungi, animals, plants, and protists.

Abiotic

Factors that are non-living; includes air, soil, temperature, light, water, minerals, and humidity.

Ecosystem

All the communities in an area and the physical (abiotic) environment.

Competition

The struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources.

Population Density

The number of individuals living in a defined space.

Adaptation

An inherited trait that helps an organism to better survive and reproduce.

Water Cycle

The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Carbon Cycle

The transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to living organisms and back through respiration, decay, and combustion.

Nitrogen Cycle

The transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere.