Environmental science chapter 4

Ecosystem

All the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment

Biotic Factors

All the living and once living parts of an ecosystem.

Abiotic Factors

The nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Organism

An individual living thing.

Species

A group of organisms that are closely related and that can mate to produce fertile offspring.

Population

All the members of the same species that live in the same place at the same time

Community

A group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other.

Habitat

The place an organism lives

Natural Selection

The unequal survival and reproduction that results from the presence or absence of particular traits

Evolution

A change in the genetic characteristics of a population from one generation to the next

Adaptation

An inherited trait that increases an organism's chance of survival and reproduction in a certain environment.

Artificial Selection

The selective breeding or organisms by humans for specific characteristics

Resistance

The ability of one or more organisms to tolerate a particular chemical designed to kill it.

Bacteria Microscopic

single-celled organisms that usually have cell wall and reproduce by dividing in half.

Fungus

An organism whose cells have nuclei, cell walls, and no chlorophyll.

Protists

A diverse group of organisms that belong to the kingdom Protista.

Gymnosperm

Woody plants whose seeds are not enclosed in fruits

Angiosperm

Flowering plants that produce seeds in fruit

Invertebrates

Animals that lack back bones

Vertebrates

Animals that have backbones

What kind of habitat does a red backed salamander need to survive?

Damp forest floor

Which kingdoms include organisms that can make their own food?

Protists and plants

The Chihuahua is a dog that exists because of what?

Artificial Selection

Humans have promoted the evolution of insects that are resistant to insecticides by doing what?

...Trying to control pests with chemicals

What is one way that bacteria and fungi are important to the environment?

They break down dead organisms

Phytoplankton are important protists because they are the initial source of what?

Food in most ocean and freshwater ecosystems

Many angiosperms depend on what?

Animals to carry pollen and disperse seeds