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WK 4Intro to ecology
Wk 4 Intro to Ecology
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ecology | the scientific study of interactions between organisms and their environment |
| population | a group of individuals of a single species that live in a particular area and interact with one another |
| biotic | -living components of a natural system -physical components of the environment |
| abiotic | Nonliving (has not ever been alive and never could be alive) |
| species | a group of organisms so similar to one another that they can breed and produce fertile offspring |
| ecosystem | All of the biotic and abiotic factors living together and interacting in a specified area |
| limiting factors | any biotic or abiotic factor that acts in some way to limit the number of individuals that survive and reproduce in a population |
| mutualism | both organisms benefit |
| commensalism | one organism benefits and other is not helped or harmed |
| predation | one benefits and one is killed |
| decomposer | cause decay by breaking down complex molecules into simpler molecules |
| biosphere | The thin volume of Earth and its atmosphere that supports life; the broadest most inclusive level of organization |
| symbiosis | describes the way two different species living together in the same community, interact with each other over a long time period. |
| symbiotic relationships | a close ecological relationship between the individuals of two (or more) different species. |
| biological community | an interacting group of various species in a common location |
| tolerance | the ability of living organisms to withstand or tolerate little unfavourable changes in the environment which affect their survival |
| habitat | physical area in which an organism lives |
| niche | role or position of an organism in its environment |