Ecology Flashcards 3.1

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Biotic factors: Living components of the environment that influence ecosystems (e.g., animals, plants, fungi).
• Abiotic factors: Non-living elements in an environment, essential for sustaining life (e.g., water, air, soil, sunlight, minerals).

Biosphere

• The biosphere encompasses all regions on Earth where life exists, integrating various ecosystems.

Ecology

• Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their environment, focusing on relationships and dependencies.

Levels of Organization

• Levels of organization categorize living things and include:
  • Organism
  • Population
  • Community
  • Ecosystem
  • Biome
  • Biosphere

Population and Community

• A population consists of individuals of the same species in a designated area.
• A community refers to multiple species co-existing and interacting within a shared environment, forming a complex web of relationships.

Ecosystem

• An ecosystem is defined as a biological community comprised of various organisms and their interactions with both biotic and abiotic factors.

Interaction of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

• Biotic and abiotic factors interact within an ecosystem; non-living elements support the survival of living organisms, while living things can also affect their physical surroundings.