Sorting Out Life

Front

Ecological Community Noun

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[ee-ko-loj-i-kuhl kuh-myoo-ni-tee]

Back

Ecological Community

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All the populations of different species of organisms that live and interact in the same area.

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Example: Different species like deer, birds, and insects living together in a forest show an ecological community.

Front

Population Noun

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[pop-yoo-ley-shuhn]

Back

Population

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A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same area.

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Example: A group of deer in a forest represents a population of the same species living together.

Front

Predator Noun

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[pred-uh-ter]

Back

Predator

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An organism that hunts and kills other organisms for food.

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Example: A fox holding a rabbit shows how predators hunt and kill other animals for food.

Front

Prey Noun

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[prey]

Back

Prey

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An organism that is hunted and killed by another organism for food.

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Example: A cheetah chasing a wildebeest illustrates the concept of prey, as the wildebeest is hunted for food.

Front

Abiotic factor Noun

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[ey-bahy-ot-ik fak-ter]

Back

Abiotic factor

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A nonliving physical or chemical component of an ecosystem that influences living organisms and the functioning of the environment.

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Example: The image shows abiotic factors such as sunlight, water, and soil, which are nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

Front

Biotic factor Noun

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[bahy-ot-ik fak-ter]

Back

Biotic factor

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A living or once-living component of an ecosystem that affects other organisms.

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Example: The image shows animals and plants in a pond ecosystem, demonstrating biotic factors.

Front

Ecosystem Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm]

Back

Ecosystem

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A community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

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Example: The image shows a pond ecosystem with fish, plants, and water, illustrating how organisms interact with each other and their environment.

Front

Biome Noun

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[bahy-ohm]

Back

Biome

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A large group of ecosystems that share a similar climate and have similar types of plant and animal communities.

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Example: The image shows different ecosystems like forests and oceans, illustrating how they form a biome with similar climates and communities.

Front

Biosphere Noun

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[bahy-oh-sfeer]

Back

Biosphere

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The part of Earth where life exists, which includes all the biomes combined.

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Example: The image shows the biosphere, highlighting the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere where life exists.

Front

Climate Noun

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[klahy-mit]

Back

Climate

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The average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.

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Example: This map shows different climate zones around the world, each with specific seasons, explaining how climate varies by region.