click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
PCS Liv Env
Ecology Review
Term | Definition |
---|---|
habitat | the specific environment of a species |
finite (limited) resources | food, space, light, oxygen |
limiting factors | environmental factors such as the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, light on the forest floor |
carrying capacity | the number of organisms of one species that an ecosystem can support |
niche | a species role in an ecosystem |
producer | all food chains begin with producers; they are autotrophs; largest section of ecology pyramid |
autotrophs | can make their own food HINT: auto = self |
consumers | they are heterotrophs |
heterotrophs | cannot make their own food and instead must obtain food and energy from organic substances |
herbivore | feeds on plants |
carnivore | feeds on animals |
omivore | feeds on both plants and animals |
scavenger | eats dead organisms |
parasites | feeds off living organisms |
decomposers | recycle materials; all food chains end with decomposers; smallest section of ecology pyramid ex. bacteria, fungus |
energy | only 10% is passed on to the next higher level; 90% is lost to reactions and heat |
biodiversity | the variety of species in an area; greater the biodiversity, the greater the stability; lost by rainforest clearing, agriculture, over hunting |