Eco system Vocabulary

Ecology

The study of interactions that take place between organisms and their
environment.

Interdependence

all species rely on other species for survival

Organism

An individual living thing

Population

A group of organisms, all of the same species, that live in the same place at the same time.

Biomass Pyramid

shows the total mass of organisms in each level of a food chain

Number Pyramid

shows the number of organisms in each level of a food chain

Community

All the populations of different species that live in the same place, same time

Energy Pyramid

shows the available energy in each level of a food chain

Niche

an organism's role in the ecosystem

Ecosystem

All populations in an area and the abiotic factors they can interact with

Food pyramid

a diagram that shows the relative amount of energy, organisms, or biomass in each trophic level

Biosphere

The portion of Earth that supports life

Habitat

place a plant or animal lives

Transpiration

the release of water vapor directly into the air from an organism

Detrivore (Detritivore)

organism that eats decaying organisms

Biotic factors

all the living organisms that inhabit an environment

Abiotic factors

the nonliving parts of an organism's environment.

Omnivore

organism that eats plants and animals

Carnivore

organism that eats animals only

Acclimation

when some organisms migrate or go dormant to deal with unfavorable abiotic factors

Herbivore

organism that eats plants only

Producer

- organisms that can make their own energy by doing photosynthesis

Secondary Consumer

consumer that eats a consumer

Consumer

organisms that cannot make their own energy and must eat others

Primary Consumer

consumer that eats a producer

Food chain

shows the direct path of energy from a producer to a consumer in an ecosystem

Heterotroph

organism that cannot make their own food

Trophic Level

an organism's position in a food chain or food pyramid

Food Webs

show all the interconnected food chains within an ecosystem

Autotroph

organism that can create its own food

Photosynthesis

the chemical reaction where water & carbon dioxide combine to form glucose

Respiration

the chemical reaction that releases the energy in glucose