Question | Answer |
ecology | The study of the relationships between organisms and their physical environments |
ecosystem | A limited area in which living and nonliving thing interact |
abiotic environment | The nonliving parts of an ecosystem |
biotic community | All the living organisms in an ecosystem |
habitat | The place where an organism lives |
niche | The 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 |
evaportaion | The change of a liquid to a vapor, such as the movement of water from the earth into the atmosphere |
precipitation | The movement of water from the atmosphere to the ground |
succession | A predictable series of changes that occur in biotic communities as they progress toward a climax community |
population | All the members of one species living in a particular ecosystem |
producer | An organism that manufactures its own food (energy source), such as plants and algae |
consumer | An organism that obtains food by eating other organisms |
carbon cycle | The exchange of carbon between organisms carrying on photosynthesis and those carrying on cellular respiration; functions in relationship with the oxygen cycle |
oxygen cycle | The exchange of oxygen between organisms carrying on photosynthesis and those carrying on cellular respiration; functions in relationship with the carbon cycle |
nitrogen cycle | The process by which various compounds of nitrogen are used and reused as they move through biotic and abiotic communities |
circadian rhythm | A change that occurs on a 24 hour cycle; a daily rhythm |
nocturnal | Active at night |
diurnal | Active during the day |
seasonal rhythm | A change that occurs with the change of season in an ecosystem |