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Definition
| Elements of an ecosystem that affect its environment and are alive, like the amount of prey or predators in an area. |
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| Elements of an ecosystem that affect its environment and are not alive and never were, like weather or water supply. |
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Organisms, belonging to the same species, that live amongst each other.
Ex: The deer population of a forest |
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Definition
Organisms of different species that live amongst each other.
Ex: The forest community consists of deer, beavers and squirrels. |
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Definition
A biological community of interacting organisms and their surrounding environment.
Ex: The rainforest ecosystem consists of dense vegetation, tropical birds, snakes, towering trees as well as numerous other things. |
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Term
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Definition
The relationship between two species where one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.
Ex: Birds will flock nearby cow pastures, waiting for the cows to stir up insects so they can easily catch them. The cow is neither harmed nor helped from this. |
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Term
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Definition
A species in which an ecosystem heavily depends and, if removed, can drastically alter it.
Ex: Elephants destroy trees, making room for grass species. Without this process, much of the savannah would turn into woodland. |
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Definition
The relationship between two species where both benefit from each other.
Ex: While ants benefit from the nectar of a plant as a food source, the plant benefits from the ant protecting it from other insects trying to eat its leaves. |
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Definition
The relationship between two species where one benefits from the other by causing harm to it, although usually not fatal.
Ex: The doddler vine attaches to the tomato plant, absorbing all of the water and nutrients from it. |
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Definition
An animal or plant species that establishes itself in a previously barren environment.
Ex: Marram grass grows on sand dunes. |
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Term
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Definition
| The close relationship between two species. |
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