Ecosystems

Abiotic: Things that are not alive, like rocks, water, and air.

Biotic: Things that are alive, like plants, animals, and bacteria.

Resources: Things that living things need to survive, like food, water, and shelter.

Predator-prey relationship: The way that one animal (the predator) hunts and eats another animal (the prey).

Predator: An animal that hunts and eats other animals.

Prey: An animal that is hunted and eaten by predators.

Symbiosis: A close relationship between two different living things that helps at least one of them.

Mutualism: A type of symbiosis where both living things benefit. For example, bees and flowers help each other.

Commensalism: A type of symbiosis where one living thing benefits and the other is not helped or hurt. Like barnacles on a whale.

Parasitism: A type of symbiosis where one living thing (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed. Like ticks on a dog.

Competition: When living things try to get the same resources, like food or space.

Competitive exclusion principle: The idea that if two living things need the same resource, one will do better and the other might not survive.

Intraspecific competition: Competition between the same kind of living things, like two rabbits fighting for food.

Interspecific competition: Competition between different kinds of living things, like a rabbit and a deer both trying to eat the same grass.

Limited resources: When there isn’t enough of something, like food or water, for all living things to have what they need.

Resource partitioning: When different living things share resources in a way that helps them all survive. Like birds eating insects at different heights in a tree.

Biomes: Large areas of the Earth with similar climate, plants, and animals, like forests or deserts.

Adaptation: A change in a living thing that helps it survive in its environment, like a cactus storing water.

Niche: The role or job a living thing has in its environment, including where it lives and what it eats.

Habitat: The place where a living thing lives, like a forest or a pond.

Terrestrial: Anything related to land or living on land.

Taiga: A cold forest biome with lots of pine trees, found in places like Canada and Russia.

Temperate rainforest: A forest biome with mild temperatures and lots of rain, where big trees and ferns grow.

Temperate seasonal forests: Forests with four seasons, where trees lose their leaves in winter.

Tropical rainforest: A warm and wet forest with a lot of different plants and animals, found near the equator.

Shrubland: An area with many bushes and small plants, usually in places with dry climates.

Temperate grassland: A flat area with grasses and few trees, usually with hot summers and cold winters.

Savanna: A grassland with scattered trees, found in warm places with seasonal rain.

Desert: A very dry place with very little rain and few plants.

Tundra: A cold, treeless area where the ground is frozen part of the year, found near the North and South Poles.

Drinking water: Water that is safe to drink and good for people and animals.

Lumber: Wood that is cut from trees and used to make things like furniture or buildings.

Soil fertility: How good the soil is for growing plants, which depends on its nutrients and health.

Aquatic: Anything related to water, including oceans, rivers, and lakes.

Freshwater: Water that is not salty, like water in rivers and lakes.

Streams/Rivers: Small and large flowing bodies of freshwater.

Ponds/Lakes: Still bodies of freshwater where plants and animals can live.

Marine: Anything related to the ocean or sea.

Ocean/Coral reef: Large bodies of saltwater; coral reefs are colorful underwater structures made by tiny animals called corals.

Marshland: Wet areas filled with grasses and reeds, often found near rivers or lakes.

Estuary: A place where fresh water from rivers meets salty ocean water, creating a rich habitat for many animals.

Algae: Simple, plant-like organisms that can be found in water, sometimes making it green.

Salinity: The amount of salt in water.

Turbidity: How clear or cloudy the water is, often due to dirt or other particles.

Nutrient availability: How much food (nutrients) is present in the soil or water for plants and animals to use.