Abiotic Factor
physical, or nonliving, factor that shapes an ecosystem
Biotic Factor
the living components of an ecosystem
Biological Community
a group of interacting populations living in the same area at the same time
Biome
a large group of ecosystems that share a similar climate
Biosphere
Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.
Commensalism
a relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed
Ecology
the scientific study of interactions taking place within an ecosystem
Ecosystem
a group of biological communities in addition to the non living factors within the environment
Habitat
the area where an organism lives
Mutualism
a relationship in which two or more organisms live in close association with one another and they both benefit from this interaction
Niche
the specific role an organism assumes in it's environment
Parasitism
a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of the other
Population
a group of members of the same biological species, that live in the same place at the same time
Predation
the relationship between predator and prey, often described as the act of one organism consuming the other for food
Symbiosis
the relationship that exists between two or more species living in close association to one another
Autotroph
an organism that collects energy from the sun, or inorganic substances, and converts it to chemical energy stored usually in the form of sugars or starches
Biomass
the total mass of living matter at each trophic level of the energy pyramid
Carnivore
organism that obtains energy by eating animals
Detrivore
a scavenger, such as an earthworm, that feeds on dead plant and animal matter
Food Chain
a linear model that works to show energy flow through an ecosystem by showing what is eaten by what
Food Web
network of complex interactions formed by the feeding relationships among the various organisms in an ecosystem
Herbivore
a heterotroph that eats only plants
Heterotroph
an organism that must get it's energy requirements by consuming other organisms
Omnivore
an organism that consumes both plant and animal matter
Trophic Level
each step in a food chain or food web, and can be described as another term for "energy level
Biogeochemical Cycle
exchange of matter through the biosphere involving living organisms, chemical processes, and geological processes
Denitrification
process in which fixed nitrogen compounds are converted back into nitrogen gas and returned to the atmosphere
Matter
Anything that has mass and takes up space
Nitrogen Fixation
the process of capture and conversion of nitrogen onto a form usable by plants
Nutrient
Compounds in food that the body requires for proper growth, maintenance, and functioning