DECOMPOSER
An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms
FERTILIZER
any substance such as manure or a mixture of nitrates used to make soil more fertile
MOLD
A substance that grows on moist dead organisms after a period of time
FUNGI
An organism that absorbs nutrients from the environment.
HYPHAE
The branching, threadlike tubes that make up the bodies of multicellular fungi
MYCELLIUM
the mass of fungal filaments, or hyphae, that forms the body of a fungus
MICROSCOPIC
too small to be seen except under a microscope
MICROORGANISMS/MICROBES
organisms that are too small to be seen with the unaided eye
CARBON CYCLE
The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
ORGANIC example
carbon-rich remains of once living organisms
DECOMPOSITION
A chemical process (reaction) that breaks down compounds into simpler products making carbon rich soils
ORGANISMS
any living thing
OXYGEN
A gas produced by plants during photosynthesis that animals use for respiration
CARBON DIOXIDE
A gas that is expelled from the body by the animal respiratory system that plants need to perform photosynthesis
BIOTIC
describes living factors in the environment. (full of life)
ABIOTIC
physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms. (lack of life)
NATURAL LITTER
leaves or other dead matter that falls to the ground naturally
NUTRIENT-SUFFICIENT
receiving all the nutrients needed to grow healthy
NUTRIENT-DEFICIENT
lacking nutrients to grow healthy
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into Glucose (their food/energy)
MATTER CYCLE
description of how matter is used and reused by living things
FOOD CHAIN
series of steps in an ecosystem in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten
FOOD WEB
a system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.
ECOSYSTEM
a community of organisms and their abiotic environment
SPECIES
a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
POPULATION
group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area
COMMUNITY
all the different populations that live together in an area
HETEROTROPH
organism that obtains energy from the foods it consumes; also called a consumer
AUTOTROPH
an organism that serves as a primary producer in a food chain; can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals
OMNIVORE
organism that obtains energy by eating both plants and animals
APEX PREDATOR
top of the food chain; no natural predator
SECONDARY CONSUMER
A carnivore that eats primary consumers, ie- herbivores
TERTIARY CONSUMER
a carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores; an animal that feeds only on secondary consumers.
NITROGEN CYCLE
The transfer of nitrogen from the atmosphere to the soil, to living organisms, and back to the atmosphere
PHOSPHOROUS CYCLE
the biogeochemical cycle that describes the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
the cycle through which water in the hydrosphere moves; includes such processes as evaporation, precipitation, and surface and groundwater runoff
CARRYING CAPACITY
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time
SYMBIOSIS
relationship in which two different organisms live in close association with each other
MUTUALISM
symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship
PARASITISM
symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives on or in a host and harms it.
COMMENSALISM
symbiotic relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor benefited
ACID RAIN
rain containing high amounts of chemical pollutants