Ecology Basics

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Abiotic

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Nonliving parts of an environment (e.g., temperature, light, water, minerals) that affect organisms.

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Biotic

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Living components of an environment (e.g., plants, animals, microbes) that affect or interact with organisms.

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Ecology

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The science that studies how organisms interact with each other and with their environment.

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Ecosystem

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A complex system of living organisms and their physical environment interacting as a unit, with energy flow and nutrient cycling.

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Habitat

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The physical location where an organism lives, including the conditions present.

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Niche

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The role or job of an organism within its environment, including resources used, time of activity, and interactions.

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Food Chain

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A sequence showing how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another through feeding relationships.

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Producer

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An organism, such as a plant or algae, that makes its own food through photosynthesis and forms the base of an ecosystem's energy pyramid.

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Consumer

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An organism that obtains energy by eating other organisms, including herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.