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introduction to ecology

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Term
Definition
abiotic factor   an environmental factor that is not associated with the activities of living organisms  
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ammonification   the formation of ammonia compounds in the soil by the action of bacteria on decaying matter  
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biosphere   the part f the earth where life exists; includes all of the living organisms on earth  
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biotic factor   an environmental factor that is associated with or results from the activities of living organisms  
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biomass   any organic material that has been produced in an ecosystem  
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biogeochemical cycle   the circulation of substances through living organisms from or to the environment  
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community   a group of various species that live in the same habitat and interact with each other  
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acclimation   an organisms change in response to a change in the organisms environment  
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consumer   an organism that eats other organisms or organic matter instead of producing its own nutrients or obtaining nutrients from inorganic sources  
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chemosynthesis   the production of carbohydrates through the use of energy from inorganic molecules instead of light  
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carnivore   an organism that eats animals  
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carbon cycle   the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back  
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dormancy   a state in which seeds spores bulbs and other reproductive organs stop growth and development and reduce the metabolism especially respiration  
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detritivore   a consumer that feeds on dead organisms or on the parts or wastes of other organisms  
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decomposer   an organism that feeds by breaking down organic matter from dead organisms; examples include bacteria and fungi  
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denitrification   the liberation of nitrogen from nitrogen containing compounds by bacteria in the soil  
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ecology   the study of the interactions between organisms and other living and nonliving components of their environment  
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ecological model   a model that represents or describes the relationships between the components of an ecological system  
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ecosystem   a community of organisms and their abiotic environment  
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food chain   the pathway of energy transfer through various stages as a result of the feeding patterns of a series of organisms  
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food web   a diagram that shows the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem  
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gross primary productivity   the rate at which organic matter is assimilated by plants and other producers during a period of time over a certain area  
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ground water   the water that is beneath the earth's surface  
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habitat   the place where an organism usually lives  
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herbivore   an organism that only eats plants  
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interdependence   the dependence of every organism on its connections with other living and nonliving parts of its envrionment  
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migration   in general, any movement of individuals or populations from one location to another; specifically as periodic group movement that is characteristic of a given population or species  
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niche   the unique position occupied by a species both in terms of its physical use of its habitat and its function within an ecological community  
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net primary productivity   the rate at which biomass accumulates in an ecosystem  
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nitrogen cycle   the process in which nitrogen circulates among the air, soil, water, plants and animals in an ecosystem  
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nitrogen fixtation   the process by which gaseous nitrogen is converted into nitrates compounds that organisms can use to make amino acids and other nitrogen- containing organic molecules  
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nitrogen fixing bacteria   a bacterium that converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia  
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nitrification   the process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil  
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omnivore   an organism that eats a variety of other organisms including animals and plants  
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population   a group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area and interbreed  
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producer   an organism that can make organic molecules from inorganic molecules; a photosynthetic or chemosynthetic autotroph that serves as the basic food sources in an ecosystem  
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phosphorus cycle   the cyclic movement of phophorus in different chemical forms from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment  
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tolerance curve   a graph of the performance of an organism versus the value of an environmental variable  
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trophic level   an organisms relative position in a sequence of energy transfers in a food chain or food pyramid, examples include producers and primary, secondary and tertiary consumers  
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transpiration   the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through stomata; also the release of water vapor into the air by other organisms  
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water cycle   the continuous movement of water between the atmosphere, the land, and the oceans  
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