Ecology and Environment Terms

Abiotic

• Living parts of an environment, like plants and animals.

• Non-living parts of an environment, like sunlight, temperature, water, and soil.

• Biotic factors that affect ecosystems, such as competition and predation.

• Chemical substances that are essential for life, like oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Population Density

• The total number of species in a habitat

• The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume (e.g., 50 deer per square kilometer)

• The average size of individuals in a population

• The rate at which a population grows over time

Climax Community

• A stable and mature ecological community that has reached the final stage of succession.

• A temporary ecological community that is in the process of change.

• A community that is dominated by invasive species.

• A community that has just begun to develop after a disturbance.

Community

• All the different populations (groups of organisms) that live and interact in the same area.

• A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.

• The physical environment where organisms live and interact.

• A collection of ecosystems in a geographical region.

Salinity

• The amount of salt in water or soil, which affects the types of organisms that can live there.

• The measure of how much water is present in a given volume of soil.

• The process by which plants absorb water through their roots.

• The level of nutrients available in the soil for plant growth.

Carrying Capacity

• The maximum number of individuals in a species that an environment can support long-term without degrading the environment.

• The total number of species that can coexist in a habitat.

• The number of individuals that can be supported by a single resource in an ecosystem.

• The average population size of a species over a given time period.

Biotic

• Living parts of an environment, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi.

• Non-living parts of an environment, such as rocks and water.

• The study of living organisms and their interactions.

• A type of ecosystem that includes only plants.

Aquatic

• Related to water; living or growing in water (e.g., aquatic plants or animals).

• Pertaining to land; living or growing on land.

• A term used to describe animals that can fly.

• Referring to plants that thrive in dry conditions.

Catastrophe

• A gradual change in the environment over time.

• A sudden and severe event that causes major changes in the environment (e.g., volcanic eruption, hurricane).

• A minor incident that has little impact on the surroundings.

• A planned event that leads to positive outcomes.

Pioneer Species

• The last organisms to leave a disturbed environment.

• The first organisms to colonize a barren or disturbed environment, starting the process of ecological succession.

• Organisms that thrive in stable and mature ecosystems.

• Species that are only found in tropical rainforests.