Dylan Science Vocabulary

Front 1

ecology

Back 1

the study of the interactions between organisms and their environment

Front 2

abiotic

Back 2

An environment consists of two parts. The _______ part of the environment includes all of the physical factors--such as water, soil, light, and temperature--that affect organisms living in a particular area.

Front 3

population

Back 3

A _____________________ is a group of individuals of the same species that live together inthe same area as the same time. (For example, all of the seaside sparrows that live together in a salt marsh are members of a _____________.)

Front 4

biotic

Back 4

An environment consists of two parts. The ______ part of the environment is all of the organisms that live together and itneract with one another.

Front 5

community

Back 5

A _________________ consists of all the puplation of different species that live and interact in an area. The different populations ina ________ depend on each other for food, shelter, and many other things.

Front 6

ecosystem

Back 6

An ______________ is made up of a community of organisms and its abiotic environment. An ecologist would examine how temperature, rain, and soil characteristics affect the organisms in the ___________.

Front 7

biosphere

Back 7

The _____________ is the part of Earth where life exists. It extends from the deepest part of the ocean to very high in the atmosphere. It includes every ecosystem.

Front 8

herbivore

Back 8

A _________________ is a consumer that eats plants. In the prairie ecosystem, grasshoppers, gophers, prairie dogs, bison and antelope are herbivores.

Front 9

carnivore

Back 9

A ____________ is a consumer that eats animals. In the prairie ecosystem, carnivores are coyotes, hawks, badgers, and owls.

Front 10

omnivores

Back 10

___________ are consumers that eat both plants and animals. In the prairie ecosystem, the mouse eats insects, scorpions, lizards, and grass seeds.

Front 11

scavengers

Back 11

____________ are animals that feed on the bodies of dead animals. In the prairie ecosystem, the vulture is a _______________.

Front 12

food chain

Back 12

A _____________ represents how the energy in food flows from one organism to the next. Example: Plants are eaten by a prairie dog who is eaten by a coyote, who is eaten by a vulture.

Front 13

food web

Back 13

The many energy pathways possible are more accurately shown by a ___________. Example: Rabbits are food for foxes and owls. Foxes and owls are never food for rabbits.

Front 14

energy pyramid

Back 14

The loss of energy at each level of the food chaini can be represented by an ________________. Example: In a river ecosystem, water plants would be on the lowest level. Insect Larvae eat the water plants. Bluegill fish eat the insect larvae. Largemouth basses eat the bluegill fish. Only energy stored in the tissues of an organism can be transferred to the next level. The top level is getting the least energy.

Front 15

habitat

Back 15

An organism's ___________ is the environment in which it lives. Example: The wolf's habitat in US includes wilderness areas in Montana, Washington, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Canada.

Front 16

niche

Back 16

An organisms's way of life within an ecosystem is its _______. An organisms's ______ includes its habitat, its food, its predators, and the organisms with which it competes. It also includes how the organism affects and is affected by abiotic factors in its envirnomnet, such as temperature, light, and moisture.

Front 17

carrying capacity

Back 17

The largest population that a given envirnoment can support over a long period of time is the environment's ____________________. When there are more deer than there is food, the deer will die off. It there is plenty of food for deer, the number deer will increase.

Front 18

prey

Back 18

Organisms eat each other. The organism that is eaten is called the ______. When a bird eats a worm, the worm is the _______.

Front 19

predator

Back 19

Organisms eat each other. The organism that eats is called the ________________.
When a bird eats a worm, the bird is the ____________.

Front 20

symbiosis

Back 20

___________ is a close, long-term association between two or more species. The individuals in a symbiotic relationship can benefit from, be unaffected by, or be harmed by the relationship.

Front 21

mutualism

Back 21

A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit is called ____________. Example: Corls provide a home for algae. Algae produce food used by the corals.

Front 22

commensalism

Back 22

A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected is called _____________. Remoras attach to a shark and feed on scraps of good left by sharks. The ramoras are helped; the shark is unaffected.

Front 23

parasitism

Back 23

A symbiotic association in which one organism benefits while the other is harmed is called _________________. A tick is a parasite; the tick is fed by the dog and the dog is harmed.

Front 24

coevolution

Back 24

_____________ is a long-term change that takes place in two species because of their close interactions with one another. Example: Certain flowers have evolved so that they have the perfect amount of nectar for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds' beaks have coevolved to fit into the flowers to reach the nectar.

Front 25

Four types of consumers

Back 25

1)herbivores
2)carnivores
3)omnivores
4)scavengers

Front 26

two kinds of environments

Back 26

1)biotic
2)abiotic

Front 27

5 levels of environment

Back 27

1)biosphere--contains ecosytetms
2)ecosystems--contains communities
3)communities--contains populations
4)populations--contains organisms
5)organisms

Front 28

3 kinds of symbiotic relationships

Back 28

1)Mutualism--both helped
2)Commensalism--one helped, other unaffected
3)Parasitism--one helped, other harmed