Ecology

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Ecology Noun

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[ee-kol-uh-jee]

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Ecology

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The scientific discipline studying the relationships and interactions between organisms and their physical and biological environment.

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Example: This image shows ecologists studying plants in a forest, which is an example of the scientific field of ecology in action.

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Population Noun

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[pop-yuh-ley-shuhn]

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Population

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A group of individual organisms of the same species that live together in the same geographic area.

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Example: A large group of the same animal species, like these penguins, living together in one area is called a population in ecology.

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Community Noun

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[kuh-myoo-ni-tee]

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Community

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A collection of all the different interacting populations of various species that live together in a defined area.

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Example: An ecological community consists of different interacting species, like the plant, caterpillar, bird, and microbes shown here, connected through a food chain.

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Ecosystem Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm]

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Ecosystem

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A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, including all biotic and abiotic factors.

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Example: This image shows an ecosystem by illustrating how living things (biotic factors) like animals and plants live together and interact with non-living things (abiotic factors) like water, soil, and air.

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Biome Noun

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[bahy-ohm]

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Biome

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A large group of distinct ecosystems that share the same climate and have similar types of biological communities.

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Example: This image shows nine different types of biomes, such as desert, rainforest, and tundra, to illustrate the variety of major ecological communities on Earth.

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Biosphere Noun

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[bahy-oh-sfeer]

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Biosphere

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The part of Earth, including land, water, and atmosphere, in which life exists and ecological processes occur.

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Example: This diagram shows that the biosphere is the part of Earth where life exists, including the land (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), and air (atmosphere).

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Biotic Factor Noun

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[bahy-ot-ik fak-ter]

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Biotic Factor

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Any living or once-living component of an ecosystem with which an organism might interact to survive or reproduce.

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Example: This image shows that biotic factors are all the living parts of an ecosystem, including animals, plants, fungi, and different types of microorganisms.

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Abiotic Factor Noun

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

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Abiotic Factor

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Any nonliving chemical or physical part of the environment that affects living organisms and ecosystem functions.

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Example: This diagram shows that abiotic factors are the non-living parts of an ecosystem, giving examples like sunlight, water, soil, and temperature.

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Habitat Noun

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[hab-i-tat]

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Habitat

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The natural home or physical environment where an organism, population, or species lives and finds necessary resources.

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Example: This image shows lions in their natural environment, the savanna, which provides the space and shelter they need to live.

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Niche Noun

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[nich]

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Niche

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The specific role or functional position an organism occupies within its ecosystem, including its interactions and resource use.

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Example: This diagram shows a bee pollinating a flower, which is one part of a bee's ecological niche, or its specific role in its environment.