| A | B |
|---|
| abiotic factors | non-living elements of the ecosystem (temperature & moisture) |
| biomes | large ecosystems with the same major plant type (grassland & temperate forest) |
| biosphere | all ecosystems on the Earth together |
| biotic factors | living parts of the environment |
| carbon cycle | the geochemical pathway of carbon through an ecosystem |
| carnivore | eats other animals |
| carrying capacity | maximum number of organisms an area can support on a sustained basis |
| climax community | the stable life forms that develop after many years of succession |
| consumers | those that eat food from other organisms |
| decomposers | break down organic matter |
| ecological succession | the steps an ecosystem takes to recovery after being disturbed |
| ecology | the study of ecosystems |
| food pyramid | shows the numbers of producers are more than consumers and top carnivores are the fewest |
| food web | the feeding interrelationships with an ecosystem |
| habitat | the place an organism chooses to be |
| herbivore | plant eater |
| limiting factors | space, water availability, oxygen amount, sunlight |
| mutualism | a relationship in which both species win |
| niche | what an organism is adapted for doing |
| nitrogen cycle | geochemical cycle that is the pathway nitrogen takes |
| nonrenewable resources | once they are gone, the environment won't produce anymore in your lifetime |
| omnivore | organism that eats both plants & animals |
| organism | an individual living thing |
| parasitism | relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed |
| phosphorus cycle | geochemical pathway followed by phosphorus through living systems |
| population | a group of organisms of the same species with mating access to each other |
| primary succession | the 1st stage of the comeback stage by plants on a disturbed ecosystem |
| producers | photosynthesizing organisms (algae & plants) |
| renewable resource | something used that the environment will continue to produce |
| secondary succession | the next step an ecosystem takes after primary succession |
| symbiotic relationships | organisms of different species living together |
| water cycle | the geochemical pathway water travels as it moves through ecosystems |
| saprobe | organism that lives off dead organic material |
| primary consumer | eat plants and is another name for herbivor |
| secondary consumer | eats primary consumers and is another name for carnivore |
| tertiary consumer | eats secondary and primary consumers and is another name for top carnivore |
| ecosystem | an area in which the biotic community and abiotic factors interact |
| natural resources | any part of the environment used by humans for their benefit (soil, water, plants, & animals) |
