| A | B |
|---|
| ecology | the study of the interaction of living organisms with one another and also with their environment |
| species | group of organisms (plant or animal) capable of reproducing and producing fertile offspring |
| population | group of organisms that live in the same area and breed within the group |
| variations | inherited genetic mutations |
| speciation | happens when a population is divided and separated into 2 separate environments; natural selection and evolution lead to so much difference that if they breed, they only produce infertile offspring |
| community | combination of all populations within the area (plant and animal) |
| ecosystem | combination of community and physical environment |
| abiotic | nonliving portion of ecosystem; ex: temperature, soil |
| biotic | living organisms in an ecosystem |
| predation | ecological relationship where 1 organism hunts and eats another |
| predator | the hunter in predation |
| prey | the hunted organism in predation |
| mutualism | a symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit |
| commensalism | a symbiotic relationship where 1 organsim benefits and the other is either unaffected or is actually harmed |
| parasitism | a symbiotic relationship where one organism lives on or in another "host" organism and absorbs nutrients DIRECTLY from it |
| carrying population | the maximum population that can be supported by an ecosystem's resources |
