Ecology (Interdependence of Life) S7L4 Students will examine the dependence of organisms on one another and

their environments.

c. Recognize that changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of

both individuals and entire species.

d. Categorize relationships between organisms that are competitive or mutually

beneficial.

e. Describe the characteristics of Earth’s major terrestrial biomes (i.e., tropical rain forest,

savanna, temperate, desert, taiga, tundra, and mountain) and aquatic communities (i.e.,

freshwater, estuaries, and marine).

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

biotic

The LIVING parts of an ecosystem.

abiotic The NONLIVING parts of an ecosystem.

biosphere The part of the Earth where life exists.

Includes ALL living things on Earth.

organism Any living thing.

species A group of organisms that can mate with

each other and produce FERTILE offspring.

(Can have babies that can make more

babies of their kind)

biodiversity The different types of organisms in an

area, genetic differences in one

population, different species in a

community, etc.

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

population

A group of members of the same species

that live in the same geographical area

and interbreed.

community A group of various species that live in the

same habitat and interact with each

other.

ecosystem A community of organisms and their

abiotic environment (the living and

nonliving things in an area)

biomass Plant material, manure, or other organic

matter used as fuel.

herbivore An organism that eats plants.

carnivore An organism that eats animals (includes

insects).

omnivore An organism that eats both plants and

animals.

producer

(autotroph)

An organism that can make organic

molecules from inorganic molecules; an

organism that makes its own food.

Unit One: Ecology

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

consumer

(heterotroph)

An organism that can not make its

own food and must take it in by

eating or absorbing it.

decomposer An organism that feeds on organic matter

by breaking down dead organisms.

Examples are types of bacteria and fungi.

prey An organism that is killed and eaten by

another organism.

predator An organism that kills and eats another

organism.

energy

pyramid

A triangular diagram that shows how

energy moves through an ecosystem. The

base is widest, because it has the most

energy. The energy in each level

decreases.

food web A diagram that shows the relationship

between organisms in an ecosystem.

food chain The pattern of energy transfer through a

series of organisms.

photosynthesis The process by which plants, algae and

some bacteria produce carbohydrates

(sugar/glucose) from carbon dioxide and

water using energy from the sun.

Unit One: Ecology

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

respiration

The process by which glucose (sugar) is

converted into energy, carbon dioxide

and water.

biome A large region characterized by a specific

type of climate and certain plant and

animal communities.

Taiga Evergreen, coniferous forest located near

the arctic/subarctic regions.

Savanna A plain full of grasses and scattered trees

located in the subtropical and tropical

regions—usually dry areas like East Africa.

Tropical

Rainforest

Typically located along the equator. These

areas have warm, humid climates with

heavy rains.

Temperate

(Deciduous)

Forest

A forest that has trees that shed its leaves

in the fall.

Desert A region that has little to no plant life,

extreme temperatures, dry climate, usually

in tropical regions.

Tundra Found in Arctic or Antarctic; treeless plain

that has a very cold winter and short, cool

summers. The only greenery you will find:

grasses, lichens and perennial herbs.

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

temperate

rainforest

a forest community (or biome), characterized by

cool, humid weather and abundant rainfall, where

tree branches are draped with mosses, tree trunks

are covered with lichens, and the forest floor is

covered with ferns

temperate

grassland

a community (or biome) that is dominated by

grasses, has few trees, and is characterized by

cold winters and rainfall that is intermediate

between that of a forest and a desert

camouflage an animal's natural coloring or form

that enables it to blend in with its

surroundings

mimicry A defense in which one organism

resembles another that is either poisonous

or dangerous.

predation An interaction between two species in

which one hunts and eats the other.

symbiosis a relationship in which two different organisms

live in close association with each other

mutualism A relationship between two organisms in

which they both benefit.

commensalism A relationship between two organisms in

which one is helped and the other is

neither helped nor harmed.

Vocabulary Word Picture Clue Definition

habitat

the place where an organism

usually lives

niche the unique position occupied by a

species, both in terms of its physical use of

its habitat and its function within an

ecological community

estuary an area where fresh water from rivers

mixes with salt water from the ocean; the

part of a river where the tides meet the

river current

aquatic Something relating to water; for

example plants or animals that live

in water are aquatic.

terrestrial Something relating to land; for

example plants or animals that live

on land are terrestrial.

Beneficial Something that helps or benefits another

organism or the environment. For

example, many insects are pollinators.

harmful Something that causes harm or damage

to another organism or the environment.

For example, when an insect stings you it

can be harmful.

Learning Targets: 1. I can describe how humans fit into the larger world.

2. I can analyze and conclude how changes in climate affect living things in their

environment.

3. I can explain how organisms and their environment linked together

(interdependent).

4. I can examine the different types of relationships between organisms and describe

how they are beneficial, harmful, or neither.

5. I can compare and contrast the characteristics of each biome.

6. I can compare and contrast terrestrial and aquatic biomes.

7. I can differentiate between biotic and abiotic factors and describe how they affect

the survival of organisms in a biome.