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Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to ecology, ecosystems, and environmental science.
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Hydrosphere
All water on Earth.
Lithosphere
Solid Earth.
Atmosphere
Gases that surround Earth.
Biosphere
All life on Earth.
Ecology
The study of how all living things interact with each other and their environment.
Ecosystem
A community of living things and their nonliving surroundings that work together.
Sustainability
Using natural resources in a way that meets our needs without harming the environment.
Organism
One single living thing.
Population
Multiple organisms of the same species.
Community
Multiple organisms of different species.
Biotic
Living.
Abiotic
Nonliving.
Photosynthesis
When plants make food or glucose using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water.
Cellular Respiration
When cells break down food to release energy.
Food Chain
Shows how energy flows from one living thing to another through eating.
Niche
The role or job of an organism in its environment, including what it eats and where it lives.
Herbivore
Only eats plants.
Carnivore
Only eats animals.
Omnivore
Eats both plants and animals.
Scavenger
Only eats dead or rotting meat.
Decomposer
Breaks down plants and animals into nutrients.
Trophic Level
A level in the food chain that shows how energy is passed through organisms.
Food Web
Shows all interconnections between all organisms.
Limiting Factor
Something that controls how big a population can grow.
Carrying Capacity
The max amount of organisms the environment can support.
Succession
The natural process of change in ecosystems when a group of species is replaced over time.
Equilibrium
Balance. When an ecosystem is stable and everything is working together without major changes.
Climax Community
The final stage of succession where the ecosystems have reached balance and won't change unless disturbed.
Primary Succession
When there is no preexisting soil or life and then forest starts to form.
Secondary Succession
When the place had life but got disturbed after a disaster.
Pioneer Species
The first species to grow in a bare area like lichens.
Biodiversity
A variety of living things in an area.
Habitat Loss
When animals lose their habitat or home.
Fragmentation
When a large habitat is broken into pieces by roads, for example.
Pest
An unwanted organism that damages crops or spread disease.
Pesticide
A chemical used to kill pests.
Bioaccumulation
The buildup of harmful chemicals in one organism.
Bioamplification
When harmful chemicals increase in concentration as they move up the food chain.
Overexploitation
When humans use natural resources faster than they can be replaced, for example, overfishing.