Inspire Biology Module 2 - Ecology

Commensalism

• Symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

• A relationship where both organisms benefit from each other.

• A relationship where one organism harms the other.

• A relationship where both organisms are harmed.

Nutrient

• Chemical substance that living organisms obtain from the environment to carry out life processes and sustain life.

• A type of food that is high in calories but low in vitamins.

• A synthetic compound used to enhance growth in plants.

• A mineral that is essential for bone health.

Heterotroph

• Organism that can produce its own food through photosynthesis.

• Organism that cannot make its own food and gets its nutrients and energy requirements by feeding on other organisms; also called a consumer.

• Organism that primarily feeds on plants and fungi.

• Organism that relies solely on inorganic substances for energy.

biosphere

• Relatively thin layer of Earth and its atmosphere that supports life

• The region of the Earth where all water is found

• The layer of the Earth that contains all its minerals

• The part of the Earth that is covered by ice

Food Chain

• A model that shows a single path for energy flow through an ecosystem.

• A diagram that represents all the organisms in an ecosystem.

• A representation of the food web in a community.

• A chart that lists all the species in a habitat.

Matter

• Anything that takes up space and has mass.

• A substance that can be seen and touched.

• A form of energy that can be converted into mass.

• A concept that describes the absence of physical substance.

Biomass

• Total mass of living matter at each trophic level.

• The total energy produced by photosynthesis.

• The weight of all organisms in a specific area.

• The amount of carbon stored in plants.

habitat

• Physical area in which an organism lives

• A type of food chain

• A method of reproduction

• A form of camouflage

Mutualism

• Symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit.

• A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another.

• A relationship where both organisms are harmed.

• A relationship that occurs between different species only.

Parasitism

• Symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits at the expense of another organism.

• Mutual relationship where both organisms benefit.

• A relationship where one organism is harmed and the other is unaffected.

• A relationship where both organisms are harmed.