Eoc Voc. Set 2

Front 1

algae

Back 1

plantlike protists. Commonly found in lakes & ponds.

Front 2

amino acid

Back 2

a compound containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. serves as a building block for proteins

Front 3

autotroph

Back 3

an organism capable of producing its own food. Example: green plants

Front 4

carbon cycle

Back 4

transfer of carbon between the living organisms and the solid elements of the Earth.

Front 5

carnivore

Back 5

an organism that feeds on the flesh or other organisms to obtain nutrition. Eats only meat.
example: lion

Front 6

chemosynthesis

Back 6

the process by which some bacteria form nutrients from inorganic molecules without sunlight.

Front 7

community

Back 7

all of the interacting populations within an area

Front 8

consumer

Back 8

an organism that relies on other organisms for food.
Ex: Human

Front 9

decomposer

Back 9

an organism that breaks down dead or decaying organic matter and returns nutrients to the soil.

Front 10

ecology

Back 10

the study of the interactions among all living things and their environment

Front 11

ecosystem

Back 11

all the biotic and abiotic factors of an environment.

Front 12

food chain

Back 12

the transfer of energy when one organism feeds upon another in a sequence.
EX: grass - grasshopper - bird - cat

Front 13

food web

Back 13

several interconnected food chains.

Front 14

herbivore

Back 14

an organism that feeds on producers/plants.
Example: Cow

Front 15

heterotroph

Back 15

an organism that obtains energy from the food it consumes. These organisms cannot make their own food.

Front 16

nutrient

Back 16

a substance the body needs to obtain energy and raw materials.
(found in food)

Front 17

omnivore

Back 17

an organism that eats both producers and consumers. EX: Bear

Front 18

photosynthesis

Back 18

the process by which plants use the energy from the sun to make sugar/glucose.

Front 19

population

Back 19

a group of organisms of the same species living together in the same area

Front 20

producer

Back 20

an organism that is capable of making food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis

Front 21

scavenger

Back 21

an animal that feeds on the carcasses of dead animals.
EX: Vulture

Front 22

species

Back 22

a group of organisms that share similar characteristics and can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Front 23

trophic level

Back 23

a step in a food chain or web

Front 24

abiotic factor

Back 24

a nonliving component of an ecosystem

Front 25

biotic factor

Back 25

a living component of an ecosystem

Front 26

commensalism

Back 26

a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits without harming the other.

Front 27

mutualism

Back 27

a symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit

Front 28

parasite

Back 28

an organism that takes nourishment from and lives at the expense of its host. EX: Tick living on a dog

Front 29

predator

Back 29

an animal that kills and eats another animal for food

Front 30

prey

Back 30

an animal that is killed and eaten by a predator as food

Front 31

symbiosis

Back 31

an interdependent relationship between two organisms

Front 32

carrying capacity

Back 32

the maximum number of individuals in a population that can be supported in a given area

Front 33

deforestation

Back 33

a type of human disturbance where all the trees in a forest are completely cleared for human use

Front 34

density-dependent limiting factors

Back 34

factors that influence the size of a population - especially when the population gets too large
examples: food, water, shelter

Front 35

density-independent limiting factors

Back 35

events and influences that limit the growth of a population regardless of its size.
examples: floods, drought, fire

Front 36

limiting factor

Back 36

a resource in an ecosystem that controls the maximum size of the community

Front 37

nonrenewable resource

Back 37

a resource that cannot be replaced in nature at a rate near that at which it is used.
example: fossil fuels

Front 38

pollution

Back 38

the release of harmful substances into the air, water, and soil

Front 39

renewable resource

Back 39

a resource that can be replaced in nature within a reasonable amount of time.
example: trees

Front 40

urbanization

Back 40

the process by which humans clear land or change water patterns to make way for buildings, roads, houses, etc.