Ecology Definitions Flashcards

Ecology Concepts

• Ecology: The study of interrelationships between organisms and their environment.
• Biosphere: Regions of Earth capable of supporting life.
• Biotic Factors: Living elements within an organism's environment.
• Abiotic Factors: Non-living components affecting organisms in their environment.

Populations and Communities

• Population: A group of individuals of the same species residing in a specific area simultaneously.
• Community: An assemblage of interacting populations within a shared environment.

Ecosystems and Biomes

• Ecosystem: A community combined with all nonliving factors influencing it.
• Biome: A broad category consisting of multiple ecosystems that share similar climate characteristics.

Organismal Roles and Relationships

• Habitat: The specific area where an organism lives.
• Niche: The unique role or function an organism fulfills within its habitat.

Ecological Interactions

• Competition: Occurs when multiple organisms vie for the same resource.
• Predation: The process by which one organism consumes another.
• Predator: An organism that actively hunts other organisms for food.
• Prey: The organism that is hunted and consumed by a predator.

Symbiotic Relationships

• Symbiosis: Close relationships between different organisms.
• Mutualism: A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit.
• Commensalism: A type of symbiosis benefiting one organism while leaving the other unaffected.
• Parasitism: A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

Energy Sources and Consumer Types

• Autotroph: Organisms that generate food energy from sunlight or inorganic sources.
• Heterotroph: Organisms that cannot produce their food and rely on others for energy.
• Detritivore: Organisms that consume decomposing organic matter.
• Decomposer: Organisms that break down dead material into nutrients for the environment.

Food Dynamics

• Trophic Level: Each rank in a food chain or web reflecting energy transfer.
• Food Chain: A linear representation of energy flow within an ecosystem.
• Food Web: A complex network of interconnected food chains representing ecosystem energy flow.

Other Essential Terms

• Host: The organism that a parasite inhabits or feeds on.
• Environment: All surrounding conditions affecting the growth and development of living organisms.
• Biomass: The total mass of organisms at specific trophic levels.
• Producer: Another term for autotroph, referring to organisms that create their own food.
• Consumer: Another term for heterotroph, indicating organisms dependent on others for food.
• Carnivore: Consumers that exclusively eat animal matter.
• Herbivore: Consumers exclusively feeding on plant matter.
• Omnivore: Consumers that intake both plant and animal sources.
• Eutrophication: An increase in nutrient concentration, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, in aquatic environments, leading to excessive plant growth, like algae.

Test your knowledge of key terms in ecology with these flashcards. Each card features a crucial definition that explains the relationship between organisms and their environments. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike!