Bio Ch2 Ecology Vocab w pre/root/suff

Nonliving factors such as amount of rainfall and temperature that affect the distribution of organisms and population size.

• abiotic
• biotic
• niche
• ecology

All populations of organisms in a given area. Members of populations may interact (predation, competition, symbiosis).

• community
• population
• ecosystem
• biome

The study of the interactions between organisms and other members of the community and interactions with the nonliving portion of the environment.

• ecology
• biology
• niche
• symbiosis

An organisms role in the environment; this includes the resources used by the organism (diet and habitat) an dits physical adaptations for survival. Each species role in a community is different.

• niche
• symbiosis
• habitat
• ecology

A symbiotic relationship in which one member is benefited and the other is negatively affected. Ex: ticks living on the skin of a dog.

• parasitism
• mutualism
• commensalism
• niche

An organism capable of making its own food molecules using sunlight for energy. Ex: all plants, some protists, and some bacteria.

• autotroph
• heterotroph
• decomposer
• herbivore

An organism that is not capable of making its own food molecules and must consume other organisms. Ex: animals, fungi, some protists and bacteria.

• heterotroph
• autotroph
• omnivore
• carnivore

Bacteria and fungi that break down dead organic matter in the soil. Assists in recycling nutrients.

• decomposer
• omnivore
• carnivore
• herbivore

When energy is passed from one trophic level to another in a food chain, only 10% moves to the next level. The remaining 90% is lost as heat to the environment.

• rule of 10
• trophic level
• food chain
• rule of 90

A diagram that shows multiple connected food chains. It models all of the possible relationships in a community.

• food web
• food chain
• food pyramid
• trophic level