| A | B |
|---|
| ecology | The study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environments. |
| ecosystem | A limited area in which living and non-living things interact. |
| abiotic environment | The non-living parts of an ecosystem |
| biotic community | the living organisms in an ecosystem |
| habitat | Place where an organism lives |
| niche | Role or function of an organism in its environment. |
| water cycle | A continuous movement of water from the atmosphere to the earth and back to the atmosphere. |
| evaporation | The movement of water into the atmosphere by changing from a liquid into a vapor. |
| succession | A predictable series of changes that occur in biotic communities as they progress toward a climax community. |
| precipitation | The movement of water from the atmosphere to the ground. |
| water table | A reservoir of water beneath the surface of the earth. |
| population | All the members of one kind of organism living in a particular ecosystem. |
| producer organism | Organism that manufactures its own food. |
| consumer organism | An organism that uses food manufactured by other organisms. |
| carbon cycle | the cycle of carbon as it goes from plant photosynthesis and cellular respiration of organisms. |
| oxygen cycle | The exchange of oxygen between organisms carrying on photosynthesis and those carrying on cellular respiration |
| nitrogen cycle | Process by which nitrogen moves through biotic and abiotic communities. |
| rhythm | A cyclic change that occurs in an ecosystem. |
| circadian rhythm | a regular fluctuation in a living organism in a 24 hour period |
| nocturnal | Active during the night |
| diurnal | Active during the day |
| seasonal rhythm | A change that takes place annually in an ecosystem. |
| hibernation | A dormant state involving a slowing of life processes permitting certain animals to survive winter conditions. |
