Ecology

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Ecosystem

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An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.

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Food Chain

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A succession of organisms in an ecological community that constitutes a continuation of food energy from one organism to another as each consumes a lower member and in turn is preyed upon by a higher member.

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Producers

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A photosynthetic green plant or chemosynthetic bacterium, constituting the first trophic level in a food chain; an autotrophic organism.

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Consumers

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A heterotrophic organism that ingests other organisms or organic matter in a food chain.

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Herbivores

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An animal that feeds chiefly on plants.

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Carnivores

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Any of various predatory, flesh-eating mammals of the order Carnivora, including the dogs, cats, bears, weasels, hyenas, and raccoons.

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Omnivores

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strictly means one who eats all things (Latin omni: all), but is used to describe those people or communities whose diet is not restricted to either animal or vegetable sources.

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Detritus

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Disintegrated or eroded matter

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Decomposers

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An organism, often a bacterium or fungus, that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter, thus making organic nutrients available to the ecosystem.

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Habitat

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the type of environment in which an organism or group normally lives or occurs

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Extinct

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No longer existing or living

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Extirpated

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Referring to a local extinction of a species that can still be found elsewhere.

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Endangered

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In danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of a species' range.

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threatened

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At risk of becoming endangered. Used of a plant or an animal.

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vulnerable

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a species which is likely to become endangered

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Ecology

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he relationship between organisms and their environment.

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Abiotic

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are non-living chemical and physical factors in the environment.

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Biotic

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Of or having to do with life or living organisms.

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Population

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All the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified habitat.

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Community

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A group of plants and animals living and interacting with one another in a specific region under relatively similar environmental conditions.

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Ecotone

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A transitional zone between two communities containing the characteristic species of each.

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Biodiversity

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The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.