Ecology Terms

SECONDARY SUCCESSION

• A type of ecological succession that occurs in an area where an existing ecosystem has been disturbed or disrupted, but some soil and organisms are still present.

• A process where a new ecosystem forms in a previously uninhabited area without any soil.

• A type of ecological succession that occurs in a stable ecosystem without any disturbances.

• A method of restoring an ecosystem by introducing new species to an area.

FOOD CHAIN

• A sequence of organisms through which energy and nutrients are transferred in an ecosystem

• A random collection of plants and animals

• A list of food items consumed by humans

• A method of cooking food

CONSUMER

• an organism that obtains its energy and nutrients by consuming other organisms

• a type of plant that produces its own food through photosynthesis

• a living being that does not require energy to survive

• an organism that decomposes dead matter for nutrients

PRODUCER

• an organism that is capable of producing its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

• a consumer that relies on other organisms for food

• a decomposer that breaks down dead organic matter

• a parasite that derives nutrients from a host organism

CARNIVORE

• an organism that primarily consumes animal-based food

• a plant that grows in water

• an organism that eats both plants and animals

• a type of animal that only eats fruits

CLIMAX COMMUNITY

• a stable and mature ecological community that has reached a relatively constant composition and structure

• a temporary ecological community that is in the process of change

• a community that is dominated by invasive species

• a community that has a high level of biodiversity but is unstable

MUTUALISM

• a type of symbiotic relationship between two different species in which both organisms benefit from the association

• a relationship where one species benefits at the expense of another

• a relationship where both species are harmed

• a relationship where one species is unaffected while the other is harmed

HERBIVORE

• an organism that primarily consumes plant-based food

• an organism that primarily consumes meat

• an organism that can eat both plants and animals

• an organism that does not consume food

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

• the gradual sequential regrowth of an area following a disturbance

• a sudden change in the ecosystem due to natural disasters

• the immediate recovery of an area after a disturbance

• the introduction of new species to an ecosystem

FOOD WEB

• a simple linear representation of feeding relationships

• a complex and interconnected representation of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem

• a diagram showing only predator-prey relationships

• a chart that lists all organisms in an ecosystem without connections