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SCIENCE
ECOLOGY ASSESSMENT
34
Science
7th Grade
04/23/2012

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Term
ECOLOGY
Definition
study of interactions that take place between organisms and their environments
Term
ABIOTIC FACTORS
Definition
non-living (physical) factors in the environment (air, temperature, light, soil, water, rocks and nutrients)
Term
BIOTIC FACTORS
Definition
living or dead organisms in the environment
Term
PRODUCER
Definition
organisms that use sunlight to produce food (mostly plants)
Term
CONSUMER
Definition
organisms that eat (consume) other organisms for energy
Term
DECOMPOSERS
Definition
are organisms that get their food by breaking down the remains of dead organisms or animal waste ("nature's recyclers") (bacteria and fungi)
Term
SYMBIOSIS
Definition
a close relationship between two different organisms
Term
3 TYPES OF SYMBIOSIS
Definition
  • mutualism (+/+)
  • commensalism  (+/0)
  • parasitism   (+/-)
Term
MUTUALISM
Definition
type of symbiosis in which both species benefit
Term
COMMENSALISM
Definition
type of symbiosis in which one species benefits and the other species is neither harmed nor benefited
Term
PARASITISM
Definition
type of symbiosis in which one species benefits and the other species is harmed
Term
COMPETITION
Definition
when two or more individuals or popluations try to use the same limited resource such as food, water, shelter, space or sunlight
Term
2 MAJOR REASONS FOR COMPETITION
Definition
  • carrying capacity
  • limiting factor
Term
CARRYING CAPACITY
Definition
the largest population that an environment can support at any given time
Term
LIMITING FACTOR
Definition
a factor that limits population growth such as food, water, shelter ,space or sunlight
Term
PREDATION
Definition
when one organism preys on another organism
Term
2 ORGANISMS INVOLVED IN PREDATION
Definition
  • predator
  • prey
Term
PREDATOR
Definition
an animal that hunts other animals for food
Term
PREY
Definition
an animal that is hunted by other animals
Term
LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION
Definition
  • organism
  • population
  • community
  • ecosystem
  • biosphere
Term
ORGANISM
Definition
any living thing that can live on its own
Term
POPULATION
Definition
a poplulation is a group of organisms of the SAME SPECIES  living in one area
Term
COMMUNITY
Definition
a community is made up of all the populations of DIFFERENT SPECIES in an area but not the abiotic factors of that environment
Term
ECOSYSTEM
Definition
made up of a community of organsisms and its abiotic environment
Term
BIOSPHERE
Definition
the part of the Earth where life exists
Term
OMNIVORE
Definition
consumer that eats a variety of meat, fruit and vegetables
Term
HERBIVORE
Definition

consumer that eats plants

(a cow is an herbivore)

Term
CARNIVORE
Definition

consumer that eats only animal

(a wolf is a carnivore)

Term
FOOD CHAIN
Definition

diagram that shows the flow of energy

(the original source of energy for a food chain is the sun)

Term
SCAVENGER
Definition
an organism that feeds on dead animals
Term
ENERGY PYRAMID
Definition

a diagram that shows the loss of energy, which results as energy passes through the ecosystem's food chain, from the producers to the top predators.

(The base, producers, contains the most energy)

(The top has the fewest organisms and the least amount of energy)

When moving up the pyramid, the animals get larger in size

Term
FOOD WEB
Definition
shows all the ways energy flows to and from all organisms in an ecosystem
Term
HABITAT
Definition
the part of an ecosystem in which an animal lives
Term
NICHE
Definition

the role an organism play in an ecosystem and how an organism interacts with the biotic and abiotic factors in its environment

(a niche can include an organism's habitat, it's role in the environment and the abiotic factors in the organism's environment

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