Ecology and Ecosystem Terminology

Front

Organism

Back

An individual living thing

Front

Population

Back

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Front

Community

Back

All the different interacting populations that live together in an area

Front

Ecosystem

Back

The interaction of a community of populations with their physical environment

Front

Biosphere

Back

Part of Earth in which life exists including land, water, and air or atmosphere

Front

Ecology

Back

The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment

Front

Biotic factors

Back

The living parts of an ecosystem. Usually include: producer, consumers, decomposers, and human influence.

Front

Abiotic factors

Back

Nonliving parts of an ecosystem

Front

Habitat

Back

Place where an organism lives

Front

Niche

Back

An organism's particular role in an ecosystem, or how it makes its living.