Ecosystems And Communities/ Aquatic Ecosystems Vocabulary

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Biotic Factor

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Biogical influence on organisms within an ecosystem. hi josh

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Abiotic factor

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Physical or nonliving factor that shapes an ecosystem. hi josh

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Habitat

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The area where an organism lives, including the abiotic and biotic factors. hi max

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Niche

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Full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which organisms use those conditions. hi max

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Resource

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Any necessity of life such as water nutrients light food or space

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Competitive exclusion principle

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Ecological rule that states that not to species can occupy the exact same niche in the same habitat at the same time

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Predation

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Interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism

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Symbiosis

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Relationship in which two species live closely together

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Mutualism

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Symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship

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Commensalism

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Symbiotic relationship in which one member benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed

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Parasitism

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Symbiotic relationship which one organism lives in or on another organism and harms it

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Ecological succession

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Gradual change in living communities that follow a disturbance

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Primary succession

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Succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists

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Pioneer species

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First species to populate an area

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Secondary succession

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Succession following a disturbance that destroys a community without destroying the soil

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Biome

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Particular physical environment that contains a characteristic assemblage of plants and animals

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Canopy

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Dense covering formed by leafy tops of tall trees

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Decidious

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Trees that shed their leaves each year

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Humus

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Material formed by decaying leaves and other organic matter

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Permafrost

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Layer of permanently frozen soil

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Microclimate

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Climate within a small area that differs significantly from the climate of the surrounding area

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Understory

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Layer in a forest formed by shorter vegetation

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Coniferious

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Trees that produce seed-bearing cones and have thin leaves shaped like needles

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Taiga

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Evergreen forests of coniferous trees, also known as boreal forests

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Plankton

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Free-floating weakly swimming organisms that occur in aquatic enviroments

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Phytoplankton

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Population of algae and other small photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean forming part of the plankton

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Zooplankton

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Tiny animals that form part of the plankton

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Wetland

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Ecosystem in which water either covers the soil or is present at or near the surface of the soil for at least part of the year

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Estuary

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Wetlands formed when rivers meet the ocean

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Detritus

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Particles of organic material that provide food for organisms at the base of an estuary's food chain

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Salt marsh

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Estuary dominated by salt tolerant grasses above the low tide line and by sea grass under water

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Mangrove swamp

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Coastal wetland dominated by mangroves, salt tolerant woody plants

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Photic zone

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well lit upper part of ocean

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Aphotic zone

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permanently dark layer of the ocean below the photic zone

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Zonation

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Horizontal banding of organisms that live in a particular habitat

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Coastal ocean

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Marine zone that extends from the low tide mark to the end of the continental shelf

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Kelp forest

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Coastal ocean community named for its dominating organism kelp

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Coral reef

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Diverse and productive environment named for the coral animal that make up its primary structure

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benthos

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Organisms that live attached to or near the ocean floor