Ecology Pt. 1

Biology Honors Ecology terms

Abiotic Factors

Nonliving aspects of the environment, including sunlight, soil, temperature, and water.

Biome

Group of similar ecosystems with the same general type of physical environment.

Biosphere

Part of Earth where all life exists, including land, water, and air.

Biotic Factor

Living aspects of the environment, including organisms of the same and different species.

Community

All of the populations of different species that live in the same area.

Ecology

Branch of biology that studies how living things interact with each other and their environment.

Ecosystem

All of the living organisms in a given area together with the physical factors of the non-living environment.

Habitat

Physical environment in which a species lives and to which it has adapted.

Microclimate

A small, specific area where the climate differs from the surrounding region.

Population

All the organisms of the same species that live in the same area.

Carrying Capacity

Largest population size that can be supported in an area without harming the environment.

Commensalism

Symbiotic relationship where one species benefits while the other is not affected.

Density-Dependent Factor

Factors that affect the size or growth of a population and vary with population density.

Density-Independent Factor

Environmental factors that affect the size of a population regardless of its density.

Ecological Succession

Changes over time in the numbers and types of species that make up the community of an ecosystem.

Exponential Growth

Pattern of population growth where growth accelerates as population size increases.