Ecosystems Vocabulary

Population

A grouping of the same species in a certain area

Sampling

Using general characteristics of a small group to identify characteristics of a larger group

Abiotic and Biotic

Abiotic: Nonliving things or factors that can affect living organisms – temperature, rain, oceans…

Biotic: Living organisms or factors – plants, animals

Dichotomous Key

A key used to identify a species by its traits

Trophic Level

A level at which a species feeds

Autotrophs and Heterotrophs

Autotrophs: Species that make or produce their own food – plants, algae

Heterotrophs: Organisms that feed at multiple trophic levels – animals, fungi

Oh my gosh I’m a heterotroph!

Producers and Consumers

Producers: The organisms that provide energy to an ecosystem

Consumers: Organisms that consume energy from other organisms

Herbivore, Carnivore and Omnivore

Herbivores: Organisms that only eat plants

Carnivores: Organisms that only eat meat

Omnivores: Organisms that eat meats and plants

Decomposers

Organisms responsible for returning nutrients to the ecosystem – bacteria, fungi, mold

Food Chain

Display of specific energy transfers between organisms

Food Web

Shows all the possible food chains in an ecosystem

Symbiosis

Relationship between two organisms

Commensalism, Mutualism, and Parasitism

Commensalism: Form of symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other is neither benefited or harmed

Mutualism: Both organisms benefit Parasitism: One organism benefits and

the other is harmed