Ecology VocabEcology Vocab

What is Ecology?What is Ecology? EcologyEcology- The relationship between - The relationship between

organisms and its environment.organisms and its environment. It is made up of an It is made up of an ecosystemecosystem that that

contains contains communitiescommunities consisting of consisting of bioticbiotic and and abiotic factors that make up abiotic factors that make up populations within that ecosystempopulations within that ecosystem..

Population-Population- all the members of one all the members of one species in an areaspecies in an area

CommunityCommunity- a group of plants and - a group of plants and animals living and interacting animals living and interacting together with one another in a together with one another in a specific area.specific area.

EcosystemEcosystem- all the members of a - all the members of a community plus the abiotic factors community plus the abiotic factors influencing one anotherinfluencing one another

Biotic-Biotic- an organism that is living or an organism that is living or was once livingwas once living

Abiotic-Abiotic- nonliving factors of an nonliving factors of an environmentenvironment

OrganismOrganism- any individual living thing, - any individual living thing, whether it is a plant or animalwhether it is a plant or animal

Climax Community-Climax Community- a community of a community of plants and animals that reach a plants and animals that reach a stable equilibriumstable equilibrium

BiomesBiomes- Global habitats determined by - Global habitats determined by temperature and rainfall.temperature and rainfall.

-based on types of plants-based on types of plants

-they have specific characteristics -they have specific characteristics

Ecotones-Ecotones- the overlapping of boundaries the overlapping of boundaries and blending of different biomesand blending of different biomes

BiomesBiomes1. Tundra1. Tundra

Treeless biome that is covered by a Treeless biome that is covered by a surface soil, underneath it is frozen.surface soil, underneath it is frozen.

Plants and animals that live here must be Plants and animals that live here must be adapted to cold temperatures, little adapted to cold temperatures, little vegetation grows here.vegetation grows here.

2. Temperate Deciduous 2. Temperate Deciduous ForestForest

Warm winters and long summersWarm winters and long summers Trees lose their leaves and change Trees lose their leaves and change

colorscolors Rich soil and lots of vegetationRich soil and lots of vegetation

3. Desert3. Desert

Dry and very hot during the day, can Dry and very hot during the day, can become very cold at nightbecome very cold at night

Less than 25cm of rain per yearLess than 25cm of rain per year Plants and animals must conserve Plants and animals must conserve

water water

4. Savanna4. Savanna

Tropical or subtropical grasslands with Tropical or subtropical grasslands with scattered trees or shrubsscattered trees or shrubs

Plants and animals must deal with droughtPlants and animals must deal with drought (Lion King)(Lion King)

5. Taiga5. Taiga

Forested area which contains cone-Forested area which contains cone-bearing evergreens (pines and spruce)bearing evergreens (pines and spruce)

Plants and animals must adapt to cold Plants and animals must adapt to cold long winterslong winters

6. Temperate Grasslands6. Temperate Grasslands

Mostly grass with little rainfall, which Mostly grass with little rainfall, which doesn’t allow for many trees to growdoesn’t allow for many trees to grow

Soil is rich and is always producing Soil is rich and is always producing vegetationvegetation

7. Tropical Rainforest7. Tropical Rainforest

Stable year round growing and abudent Stable year round growing and abudent rainfallrainfall

Trees form a canopy that shades the forest Trees form a canopy that shades the forest floorfloor

Largest species richness of all biomesLargest species richness of all biomes

Life Zone-Life Zone- a way to describe an area a way to describe an area that has similar plant and animal that has similar plant and animal communities.communities.

Biotic CommunityBiotic Community -a group of -a group of interdependent organisms in the same interdependent organisms in the same habitat interacting with one another.habitat interacting with one another.

ClimateClimate -the “average’ weather -the “average’ weather

HerbivoreHerbivore -an organism that eats only -an organism that eats only plantsplants

CarnivoreCarnivore -an organism who eats -an organism who eats mostly meatsmostly meats

OmnivoreOmnivore -an organism who eats -an organism who eats meat and plants equallymeat and plants equally

DecomposerDecomposer -breaks down dead -breaks down dead and decaying plants and animalsand decaying plants and animals

Food Web- Food Web- shows how plants and shows how plants and animals are connected in many animals are connected in many different waysdifferent ways

Trophic Level-Trophic Level-position in the position in the food chain determined by the food chain determined by the energy transfer of that organismenergy transfer of that organism

Food Chain-Food Chain-shows how plants shows how plants and animals are connected by a and animals are connected by a linear (single) pathway.linear (single) pathway.

Producers-Producers- plants that provide food for plants that provide food for herbivores, carnivores, and omnivoresherbivores, carnivores, and omnivores

Primary Consumer-Primary Consumer- 2 2ndnd trophic level that trophic level that is made up of herbivores and is made up of herbivores and bacteria/fungi.bacteria/fungi.

Secondary Consumers-Secondary Consumers- 3 3rdrd trophic level trophic level that is made up of secondary carnivores that is made up of secondary carnivores and omnivoresand omnivores

Tertiary Consumers- Tertiary Consumers- 4th trophic level 4th trophic level that is made up of primary carnivores that is made up of primary carnivores (larger animals)(larger animals)