| A | B |
|---|
| biosphere | the part of the Earth that supports life: top portion of the crust, the atmosphere, and all the water on the surface |
| ecosystem | all the living organisms that live in an area and the nonliving features of their environment |
| ecology | study of the interactions that take place among organisms and their environment |
| population | all the organisms that belong to the same species living in a community |
| community | all the populations of different species that live in an ecosystem |
| habitat | a place where organisms live that provides the types of food, shelter, moisture, and temperature needed for survival |
| limiting factor | anything that can restrict the size of a population such as predators or drought |
| carrying capacity | the largest number of individuals of a particular species that an ecosytem can support over time |
| producer | organism, such as green plants and alga, that use an outside source of energy like the Sun to create energy-rich food molecules |
| consumer | organism that CANNOT create energy-rich molecules but obtains food by eating other organisms |
| symbiosis | any close relationship between species, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism |
| mutualism | a type of symbiotic relationship in which BOTH organisms BENEFIT |
| commensalism | a type of symbiotic relationship in which ONE organism BENEFITS and the OTHER is NOT AFFECTED |
| parasitism | a type of symbiotic relationship in which ONE organism BENEFITS and the OTHER organism is HARMED |
| niche | in a ecosystem, the unique way an organism survives, obtains food and shelter, and avoids danger |
