Ecology Vocabulary: Interactions Within the Environment

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system.

• A single organism living in isolation

• A community of living organisms interacting with nonliving components

• A nonliving environment without any organisms

• A group of the same species living together

Abiotic factors are defined as:

• living components of an ecosystem.

• non-living components of an ecosystem.

• factors related to human activities.

• factors that are always constant.

Biotic factors are:

• non-living components of an ecosystem

• living components of an ecosystem

• chemical elements in the environment

• climatic conditions affecting an ecosystem

An organism is:

• a non-living entity

• a living being

• a chemical compound

• a type of ecosystem

Define habitat.

• A place where an organism lives

• A type of food

• A kind of weather

• A form of energy

A niche is:

• a shallow recess, especially one in a wall to display a statue or other ornament.

• a type of bird found in tropical regions.

• a popular tourist destination.

• a type of cuisine originating from Italy.

Populations in an ecosystem are:

• groups of individuals of the same species living in a specific area

• different species living together in a habitat

• the physical environment of an ecosystem

• the flow of energy through an ecosystem

Define limiting factor.

• A factor that limits the growth or development of an organism, population, or process.

• A factor that enhances the growth or development of an organism, population, or process.

• A factor that has no effect on the growth or development of an organism, population, or process.

• A factor that is irrelevant to the growth or development of an organism, population, or process.

What is carrying capacity?

• The maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely

• The ability of an organism to carry its offspring

• The weight that an organism can carry

• The speed at which a population grows

Energy flow in an ecosystem is best described as:

• A linear flow from producers to consumers

• A cyclic flow between producers and consumers

• A random flow among all organisms

• A flow that starts with consumers