Topic 4 - Ecology

Species

Group of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Autotroph

Organisms that produce their own food through obtaining inorganic nutrients from the abiotic environment (plants, some protoctista, some bacteria)

Heterotroph

Organisms that feed off of other organisms, hence obtains energy from outside sources (animals, fungi, some bacteria)

Producers

Autotrophs in tropic level 1

Consumers

Heterotrophs that feed on living organisms by ingestion (T2, T3, T4 etc)

Detritivore

Type of decomposer: heterotrophs that obtain organic nutrients from detritus by internal digestion (ex. earthworm, woodlice)

Saprotroph

Type of decomposer: heterotroph that obtain orgain nutrients from dead organisms by external digestion (ex. fungi, bacteria)

Community

Populations of different species living and interacting with each other

Population

All organisms of the same species in a particular area at a specific time

Ecosystem

Community of biotic and abiotic components of their environment, interacting as a system

Biotic factors

Living factors

Abiotic factors

Non-living factors

Nutrient cycling

A system where energy and matter are transferred between living organisms and non-living parts of the environment

Biosphere

Global ecosystem composed of living and non-living organisms, from which they derive energy and nutrients from

Habitat

Place where an organism lives; where it finds food, shelter and mates

Niche

An organisms role in the community and how it interacts with the environment; how it obtains food, mates, protection

Hybrids

Infertile cross-overs between 2 species (ex. mule, zorse, liger)