Ecology Flashcards

Front

habitat

Back

The place where a plant or animal lives

Front

carnivore

Back

Eats meat only

Front

herbivore

Back

Eats plants only

Front

omnivore

Back

Eats both plants and meat

Front

abiotic factors

Back

Nonliving parts of an organism's life: air currents, moisture, light and soil, temperature, etc.

Front

biotic factors

Back

All of the living organisms that inhabit an environment

Front

carrying capacity

Back

The maximum population size a particular environment can sustain

Front

boom and bust cycles

Back

A population fluctuates in density over time; due to food shortages or predator-prey interactions

Front

Density dependent limiting factor

Back

A factor that will increase as population increases (competition, predation, disease, etc.).

Front

Keystone species

Back

A plant or animal that plays a crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions.