Ecology Definitions Essays - Ecology, Systems Ecology, Symbiosis

Ecology Definitions Essays - Ecology, Systems Ecology, Symbiosis Jose Luis Martinez Jr. September 23, 2013 Ecology Definitions 1.Ecology- scientific study of all the interrelationships between organisms and their environment. 2.Biosphere- relatively thins layer of Earth and its atmosphere that supports life. 3.Biotic factor- any living factor in an organisms environment. 4.Abiotic factor- any nonliving factor in an organisms environment such as soil, water, temperature, and light availability. 5.Population- group of organisms of the same species that occupy the same geographic place at the same time. 6.Biological community- all the inter acting populations of different species that live in the same geographic location at the same time. 7.Ecosystem- biological community and all the interrelationships between organisms and their environment. 8.Biome- Large group of ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of communities. 9.Habitat- Physical area in which an organism lives. 10.Niche- Role, or position, of an organism in its environment. 11.Predation- act of an organism feeding on another organism. 12.Symbiosis- close mutualistic, parasite, or commensal association between two or more species that live together. 13.Mutualism- symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit 14.Commensalism- symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is neither helped nor harmed. 15.Parasitism- symbiotic relationship in which on organism benefits at the expense of another organism. 16.Autotroph- organism that captures energy from sunlight or inorganic substances to produce its own food; provides the foundation of the food supply for other organisms; also called a producer. 17.Heterotroph- organism that cannot make its own food and gets its nutrients and energy requirements by feeding on other organisms; also called a consumer. 18.Carnivore- Heterotroph that preys on other heterotrophs. 19.Herbivore- heterotroph that only eats plants. 20.Omnivore- heterotroph that consumes both plants and animals. 21.Detritivore- heterotroph that decomposes organic material and returns the nutrients to soil, air, and water making nutrients available to other organisms. 22.Trophic level Each step in food chain or food web. 23.Food chain- simplified model that shows a single path for energy flow through an ecosystem. 24.Food web- model that shows many interconnected food chains and pathways in which energy and matter flow through an ecosystem, 25.Biomass- total mass of living matter at each trophic level.