Ecology

Ecology

The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

Biosphere

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

Biosphere – Example

The whole planet Earth and all the living things on it.

Biome

A large region with a certain climate and certain types of plants and animals.

Biome – Example

A desert, tropical rainforest, tundra, or grassland.

Ecosystem

All the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things that interact in one area.

Ecosystem – Example

A pond, a forest, a coral reef, or a lake.

Community

All the different populations of living things that live together in the same area.

Community – Example

Deer, trees, birds, and insects living together in a forest.

Population

All the members of one species living in the same area at the same time.

Population – Example

All the bullfrogs living in one pond.

Organism

A single living thing.

Organism – Example

One oak tree, one rabbit, one human, or one ant.

Abiotic Factors

The nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factors – Examples

Sunlight and water (also temperature, rocks, air, soil).

Biotic Factors

The living or once-living parts of an ecosystem.

Biotic Factors – Examples

Plants and animals (also bacteria, fungi, dead leaves).