PSMS Ecology vocabulary

An animal that hunts and kills other animals for food.

• predator

• omnivore

• predator

• scavenger

in an ecosystem, refers to the unique ways an organism survives, obtains food and shelter, and avoids danger

• niche

• niche

• biome

• ecosystem

place where an organism lives and that provides the types of food, shelter, moisture, and temperature needed for survival

• habitat

• ecosystem

• biome

• niche

all the living organisms that live in an area and the nonliving features of their environment

• population

• community

• population

• habitat

consumes wastes and dead organisms

• decomposer

• decomposer

• consumer

• scavenger

one of any living thing

• organism

• cell

• tissue

• organ

living things within an ecosystem

• biotic

• biotic

• inorganic

• synthetic

largest number of individuals of a particular species that an ecosystem can support over time

• carrying capacity

• population density

• biological limit

• environmental threshold

Large geographic areas with similar climates and ecosystems. Includes tundra, desert, tropical rainforest, temperate rainforest, grassland, arctic tundra, and temperate deciduous forest.

• Ecosystem/Biome

• Habitat

• Microclimate

• Ecosystem Type

Anything that can limit the size of a population, including living and nonliving features of an ecosystem.

• Carrying Capacity

• Limiting Factors

• Population Density

• Ecological Footprint