Biology Test 2 Validation

• In a healthy and balanced ecosystem the numbers of both predators and prey are fairly consistent, however they can go up and down each year.
• Birth rate = number of offspring born per individual per unit time
• The population size is determined by birth rate (b) and death rate (d).
• Abiotic factors - non-living factors that affect the environment and living organisms e.g. water, temperature ph levels, light or soil type
• Biotic factors - are living factors that affect and ecosystem or individual organisms e.g. plant growth, invasive species, growth of fungi
• Consumer - an organism that feeds on organic matter because it cannot produce it. e.g. cow chewing grass using it for nutrients and energy
• Decomposer - an organism that absorbs nutrients from living things or organic matter, e.g. bacteria or fungi
• Inorganic - not produced by living things e.g. water, iron
• Organic - produced by living or once-living things e.g. sugar, fat
• organism - a single living thing e.g. mushrooms
• population - all the specific organisms of a species that live in a particular area at a particular time
• Collaboration - when two organisms work together, usually for a food source or protection e.g. anemones and clown fish
• Mutualism - both organisms benefit e.g. bees pollinating flowers
• Commensalism - one organism benefits while the other is unaffected e.g. remora fish attaching to sharks
• Parasitism - one benefits while the other is harmed e.g. tapeworms in humans
• Predator - animal that kills another animal for food
• Prey - animal killed by predators for food
• Symbiosis - close association between different species where they interact closely but not necessarily beneficially
• All organisms are dependent on other organisms in some way, either directly or indirectly.
• Mutualistic relationships involve both partners benefiting from the interaction.
• Cooperation can occur through mutualistic interactions, where both parties benefit from the relationship.
• Competition is when two individuals compete with one another to obtain limited resources such as water, light, space, nutrients, etc.
• Predator-prey relationships involve an individual consuming another individual (predator) and being consumed by another individual (prey).