IB ESS notes

biosphere - the biosphere is an ecological system composed of individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems. A biosphere represents the parts of the Earth where life exists.

species - a species is a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. hybrid species - organisms that result from the crossbreeding of two different species population - a group of organisms of the same species living in the same area at the same time, and which are capable of interbreeding. A population is an interbreeding unit. One species may consist of any number of populations, from one to many.

niche - your role in an ecosystem

An ecological niche is best described as where, when, and how an organism lives. An organism’s niche depends not only on where it lives (its habitat) but also on what it does. For example, the niche of an elephant includes everything that defines this species: its habitat, interactions between members of the herd, what it feeds on and when it feeds, and so on. No two species can have the same niche because the niche completely defines a species.

community - a collection of interacting populations within the ecosystem so communities are made up of several populations that interact in the ecosystem

habitat - the location in which a community, species, population or organism lives. A description of the habitat of a species can include both geographical and physical locations, as well as the type of ecosystem required to meet all environmental conditions needed for survival

ecosystem - open systems in which both energy and matter can enter and exit. An ecosystem is a community and the physical environment with which it interacts.

biome - a large-scale ecological community characterised by a distinctive assemblage of flora and fauna adapted to a specific range of climatic conditions

bioaccumulation - retention or buildup of non-biodegradable or slowly biodegradable chemicals in the body

biomagnification - (or biological amplification) the process whereby the concentration of a chemical increases at each trophic level.

carrying capacity - the number of organisms or size of population that area or ecosystem can support sustainably over a long period of time (da book)

The average size of a population determined by competition for limited resources. The carrying capacity is not a fixed number. It can fluctuate over time as environmental conditions change. Human activities like deforestation, pollution, and overfishing can also significantly alter the carrying capacity of ecosystems. (inthinking) <— the first time they did it better imo