Unit 1: The Living World_ Ecosystems

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Predator-Prey Relationship

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An interaction between two species in which one organism, the predator, hunts, kills, and eats the other organism, the prey. This relationship is a primary driver of energy transfer between trophic levels and influences population dynamics and evolution for both species.

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Symbiosis

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A close, long-term, and physically intimate relationship between two different biological species. The impact of this interaction can be positive, negative, or neutral for the involved species.

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Mutualism

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A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit. Example: Bees get nectar from flowers, and in turn, they pollinate the flowers, aiding in their reproduction.

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Commensalism

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A relationship where one species benefits while the other is unaffected. Example: Barnacles attaching themselves to a whale to gain transportation and access to food-rich waters, without harming or helping the whale.

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Parasitism

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A relationship where one species, the parasite, benefits by living on or in another species, the host, which is harmed in the process. Example: A tick feeding on a dog's blood.

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Competition

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The struggle between organisms to acquire the same limited resources, such as food, water, light, or territory. Competition can be intraspecific (between members of the same species) or interspecific (between members of different species).

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Resource Partitioning

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An evolutionary strategy where species with similar niches divide a resource to reduce competition. They may use the resource in different ways, in different areas, or at different times.

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Biome

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A large, distinct terrestrial region characterized by its specific climate (temperature and precipitation) and the unique communities of plants and animals that are adapted to those conditions.

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Major Terrestrial Biomes

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The primary land-based biomes of the world, including taiga (boreal forest), temperate rainforests, temperate seasonal forests, tropical rainforests, shrubland (chaparral), temperate grassland, savanna, desert, and tundra.

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Nonmineral Terrestrial Natural Resources

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Renewable or replenishable resources found on land, such as fresh water and timber from trees. Their global distribution is uneven and determined by climate, geography, latitude, and soil quality.