A living thing. It can be a plant, an animal, fungi or bacteria
Population
A group of organisms of the same kind that live together and reproduce in a particular place
Population
Increases when the organisms reproduce or when organisms of the same kind move into a particular place
Decreases when the organisms die or move to another place to search for food and water
Habitat
The place where an organism lives. Habitats provide organisms with food, water, air, space, shelter and protection
Community
All the different populations of organisms that live together in the same habitat
Factors in an environment that affect the survival of living things
Light
Temperature
Air
Water
Availability of food
Other kinds of living things
Light
Plants need light to make food during photosynthesis. Without light, plants and other living things that depend on plants for food will die
Temperature
Affects how active some animals are and the body temperature of some groups of animals, such as amphibians and reptiles. Most living things cannot survive in extreme temperatures
Air
Essential for plants and animals, whether they live on land or in water. Without oxygen, plants and animals cannot survive. Without carbon dioxide, plants cannot make food and will die
Water
Essential for activities such as digestion in animals and photosynthesis in plants. The amount of rainfall in an environment determines the amount of water present
Availability of food
Living things need food to survive. Animals that obtain enough food will survive, while those that cannot find enough food have to move to another area or they will die of hunger
Other kinds of living things
The survival of a living thing is affected by the presence of other kinds of living things in the environment. Some interactions are beneficial, while others can be harmful
When plants and animals die, they become food for decomposers like bacteria and fungi. Decomposers break down dead matter and animal waste into simple substances that are returned to the soil for plants to use
Some bacteria and fungi can cause diseases that can wipe out whole groups of plants or animals
Man can disrupt the balance of nature by activities like cuttingdowntrees, polluting rivers, and overhunting certain species