Ecology

1. Abiotic
Non-living parts of an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, temperature, water).

2. Ammonification
Process where decomposers convert organic nitrogen into ammonia.

3. Autotroph
Organism that produces its own food (like plants via photosynthesis).

4. Biodiversity
The variety of life in an area (species, genes, ecosystems).

5. Biomass
The total mass of living organisms in a given area.

6. Biomes
Large geographic areas with similar climates and ecosystems (e.g., desert, tundra).

7. Biotic
Living parts of an ecosystem (e.g., animals, plants).

8. Camouflage
Adaptation that allows organisms to blend in with their surroundings.

9. Carnivore
Animal that eats only other animals.

10. Carrying Capacity
Maximum number of organisms an environment can support sustainably.

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Great! Here are flashcards for all 103 ecology vocabulary terms — each with a clear, student-friendly definition. You can copy/paste into a study app like Quizlet or print them for review.

Flashcards 1–25

Abiotic – Non-living parts of an ecosystem (e.g., sunlight, water, soil).
Ammonification – Process where decomposers break down nitrogen compounds into ammonia.
Autotroph – Organism that makes its own food (e.g., plants, algae).
Biodiversity – Variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Biomass – Total mass of living organisms in a given area.
Biomes – Large regions with similar climates and life (e.g., tundra, rainforest).
Biotic – Living components of an environment.
Camouflage – Adaptation that helps organisms blend into their environment.
Carnivore – An organism that eats only other animals.
Carrying Capacity – The maximum population size an environment can support.
Character Displacement – Evolution of differences in traits to avoid competition.
Climax Community – Stable, mature ecosystem that no longer goes through major changes.
Combustion – Burning of fossil fuels that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Commensalism – Relationship where one species benefits and the other is unaffected.
Community – All the different populations living in the same area.
Competition – When organisms fight for the same limited resource.
Competitive Exclusion – When one species outcompetes and eliminates another from a niche.
Consumer (1°, 2°, 3°) – Organisms that eat other organisms (primary eats producers, secondary eats primary, etc.).
Decomposer – Organism that breaks down dead material and recycles nutrients.
Denitrification – Process where bacteria convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.
Density-Dependent Limiting Factor – A factor affected by population size (e.g., disease, food).
Density-Independent Limiting Factor – A factor that affects population regardless of size (e.g., natural disasters).
Desert – Dry biome with little precipitation and extreme temperatures.
Detritus – Dead organic matter.
Detritivore – Organism that feeds on detritus (e.g., earthworms).

Flashcards 26–50

Ecosystem – All living and non-living things in a particular area.
Ectoparasite – Parasite that lives on the outside of its host.
Endangered Species – Species at risk of extinction.
Endoparasite – Parasite that lives inside its host’s body.
Energy Pyramid – Diagram showing energy flow through trophic levels.
Environment – Surroundings or conditions in which an organism lives.
Evaporation – Process by which water changes from liquid to gas.
Extinction – When a species no longer exists anywhere on Earth.
Food Chain – A linear series showing who eats whom in an ecosystem.
Food Web – Complex network of feeding relationships in an ecosystem.
Fossil Fuel – Energy source formed from ancient organic matter (e.g., coal, oil).
Grassland – Biome dominated by grasses with few trees.
Greenhouse Effect – Warming of Earth due to trapped heat by gases like CO₂.
Ground Water – Water stored underground in soil and rock.
Habitat – Natural environment where an organism lives.
Herbivore – Organism that eats only plants.
Heterotroph – Organism that eats others for energy.
Invasive Species – Non-native species that harms the environment.
Mimicry – When one species resembles another for protection.
Mutualism – Relationship where both species benefit.
Niche – Role or job of an organism in its environment.
Nitrification – Process where ammonia is converted to nitrates.
Nitrogen Fixation – Process where bacteria convert nitrogen gas into usable forms.
Nonnative Species – Organism introduced to a new area where it doesn’t naturally live.
Omnivore – Animal that eats both plants and animals.

Flashcards 51–75

Ozone Layer – Layer in the atmosphere that blocks harmful UV radiation.
Parasitism – Relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
Physical Defense – Physical traits used to protect an organism (e.g., thorns, shells).
Pioneer Species – First species to colonize a barren area.
Population – Group of the same species living in the same area.
Precipitation – Water falling from the sky (e.g., rain, snow, hail).
Predator – Organism that hunts and eats other organisms.
Prey – Organism that is hunted and eaten.
Primary Succession – Ecosystem development starting from bare rock (no soil).
Producer – Organism that makes its own food (usually through photosynthesis).
Rainforest – Lush biome with high rainfall and biodiversity.
Resource Partitioning – Dividing resources to reduce competition.
Saprophyte – Organism that feeds on decaying matter.
Scavenger – Animal that eats dead animals it didn’t kill.
Secondary Compound – Chemicals in plants used for defense.
Secondary Succession – Ecosystem recovery after disturbance (e.g., fire, flood).
Species Diversity – Number and variety of species in a community.
Species Evenness – How equal the populations of each species are.
Species Richness – Number of different species in a community.
Symbiosis – Close relationship between two species (mutualism, commensalism, parasitism).
Temperate – Climate with moderate temperatures, not extreme.
Deciduous Forest – Forest biome where trees lose leaves in fall.
Taiga – Cold forest biome with coniferous trees, also called boreal forest.
Transpiration – Process where water vapor is released from plants.
Trophic Levels – Levels in a food chain (producer, consumer, etc.).

Flashcards 76–103

Tropical – Warm, humid regions near the equator.
Rainforest (again) – (Duplicate term; already defined in #61).
Tundra – Cold, treeless biome with permafrost.
Nitrogen Cycle – Movement of nitrogen through ecosystems (not listed but implied).
Carbon Cycle – Movement of carbon among earth, atmosphere, and living things (not listed but useful).
Water Cycle – Continuous movement of water on, above, and below Earth’s surface (not listed but essential).
Photosynthesis – Process by which plants make food from sunlight (not listed, but important for producers).
Cellular Respiration – Process of converting glucose into energy (ATP).
Runoff – Water that flows over the land surface into bodies of water.
Ecological Succession – Natural process of ecosystem change over time.
Climax Species – Species that dominate in a stable, mature ecosystem.
Biogeochemical Cycle – Pathway by which chemical substances move through biotic and abiotic components.
Indicator Species – Species that show the health of an ecosystem.
Keystone Species – Species that has a large impact on ecosystem stability.
Biosphere – All ecosystems on Earth; the global sum of life.
Adaptation – A trait that helps an organism survive and reproduce.
Limiting Factor – Anything that restricts the growth of a population.
Ecological Footprint – Impact of a person or community on the environment.
Pollution – Harmful substances released into the environment.
Overfishing – Depleting fish populations by excessive fishing.
Habitat Fragmentation – Splitting of ecosystems into smaller pieces.
Succession – Gradual change in species in an ecosystem over time.
Climate – Average weather conditions over a long time.
Weather – Day-to-day atmospheric conditions.
Natural Selection – Process where organisms better adapted to their environment survive and reproduce.
Bioremediation – Using living organisms to clean up environmental pollution.
Carrying Capacity (again) – (Duplicate term; already defined in #10).
Producer (again) – (Duplicate term; already defined in #60).