Ecology
Scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.
Ecosystem
All the living and nonliving things that interact in an area.
Habitat
An area that provides an organism with its basic needs for survival.
Microhabitat
A very small specialised habitat, such as the space under a rock.
Niche
Full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions.
Keystone species
A species that influences the survival of many other species in an ecosystem.
Species
A group of similar organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Population
A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area at the same time.
Community
All the different populations that live together in an area at the same time.
Biome
Group of ecosystems that have the same climate and dominant communities.
Biosphere
Part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere.
Abiotic
The non-living components of an ecosystem.
Biotic
The living components of an ecosystem.
Symbiosis
A close relationship between two organisms of different species.
Mutualism
A relationship between two organisms in which both species benefit.
Commensalism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected.
Parasitism
A relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
Predation
An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism.
Competition
A common demand by two or more organisms upon a limited supply of a resource; for example, food, water, light, space, mates, nesting sites.
Adaptation
A characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment.
Structural
An adaptation of an organism's body parts or its colouring.
Behavioural
An adaptation of an organism's habits, actions or lifestyle.
Functional
An adaptation of an organism's way that their body works.
Producer
An organism that makes its own food.
Consumer
An organism that eats other organisms.
Herbivore
A consumer that eats only plants.
Omnivore
A consumer that eats both plants and animals.
Carnivore
A consumer that eats only animals.
Scavenger
A carnivore that feeds on the bodies of dead organisms.
Detritivore
A consumer that feeds on plant and animal remains and other dead matter.
Decomposer
An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms.
Law of conservation of energy
Energy is not created nor destroyed, it is only transformed or transferred.
Energy
The ability to do work.
First order consumer
The first consumer shown in a food chain; it will be a type of herbivore.
Second order consumer
The second consumer link in a food chain; it gets energy by eating another consumer.
Sun
The source of energy for life on Earth.
Chemical energy
Energy stored in chemical bonds.
Light energy
Energy in the form of moving waves of light.
Photosynthesis
Conversion of light energy from the sun into chemical energy.
Food chain
A series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten.
Food web
A community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains.
Respiration
Conversion of energy stored in glucose molecules into energy the cells can use.
Growth
A reason why energy is used to grow cells, or to grow in size.
Repair
A reason why energy is needed to fix damaged body cells or tissues.
Movement
A reason why energy is used for locomotion.
Internal processes
A reason why energy is used for chemical reactions inside cells and organisms.
Biogeochemical cycle
Movement of nutrients in an ecosystem through the biotic and abiotic components.