Biology Ecology Vocabulary

1. Biosphere- All life on Earth and all parts of Earth in which life exists 
2. Hydrosphere- All the water on the Earth’s surface as water vapor and rain in the atmosphere and underground (Any type of water on earth.) 
3. Atmosphere- a layer of all the gasses that surround Earth
4. Geosphere- solid earth which consists of rocks, continents, and the ocean floor
5. Ecology- The study of interactions of living organisms and the non-living environment 
6. Species- A group of organisms that breed and produce offspring
7. Population- A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area
8. Community-A group of different populations that live together in a defined area   
9. Ecosystem- All the organisms that live in a place and their physical environment. Including non-living things
   10. Abiotic factors-any nonliving part of the environment
   11. Biotic factors- any living part of the environment
   12. Autotrophs (Producers)- an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals
   13. Heterotrophs (Consumers)- an organism that eats other plants or animals for energy and nutrients
   14. Herbivores- Organisms that only eat plants
   15. Carnivores- Organisms that eat only  meat 
   16. Omnivores- Organisms that eat both plants and meat 
   17. Detritivores- Eat dead organisms (like vultures, worms, and crabs)
   18. Decomposers-  organism that breaks down dead organic material
   19. Food Chains- the order of events in an ecosystem, where one living organism eats another organism
   20. Food Webs- A food web is a network of many food chains
   21. Trophic levels- Trophic levels are the position an organism holds in a food chain

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