| A | B |
|---|
| ecology | study of interactions between organisms |
| species | group of organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring |
| ecosystem | collection of organisms and their environment |
| autotroph | self-feeder, makes own food |
| heterotroph | organisms that get their energy from food they consume |
| producer | autotroph |
| consumer | heterotroph |
| detritivore | feeds on dead stuff |
| trophic level | step in a food chain or web |
| biomass | total amount of living tissue within a trophic level |
| herbivore | obtains energy by eating plants |
| carnivore | obtains energy by eating animals |
| evaporation | water changes from liquid into gas |
| transpiration | loss of water through the leaves |
| limiting nutrient | nutrient that limits the growth of organisms in an ecosystem |
| algal bloom | large increase in algae or other producer caused by a large influx of a limiting nutrient |
