Ecology and Ecosystem Terms

Front

Abiotic

Back

Non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.

Front

Biotic

Back

Living components of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals.

Front

Commensalism

Back

A relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Front

Competition

Back

An interaction between organisms or species in which both the organisms or species are harmed.

Front

Consumer

Back

An organism that feeds on plants or other animals for energy.

Front

Decomposer

Back

An organism, especially a soil bacterium, fungus, or invertebrate, that decomposes organic material.

Front

Ecology

Back

The branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

Front

Ecosystem

Back

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Front

Food Web

Back

A system of interlocking and interdependent food chains.

Front

Limiting Factor

Back

An environmental factor that tends to limit population size.