Environment definitions

• Populatuon

  the number of individuals of one species in an ecosystem.
• Habitat

  the area of an ecosystem where an organism lives.
• Competition

  the struggle for resources that occurs between living organisms.
• Biodiversity

  the range of different species that exist in an ecosystem. eg. all the plants, animals and micro-organisms.
• Ecosystem

  a natural biological unit made up of both living and non-living parts.
• Interspecific

  competition for resources between members of different species.
• Community

  all the different populations of organisms that live in a habitat.
• Species

  a group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.
• Biotic

  A living factor
• Abiotic

  A non-living factor
• Adaptation

  A feature that makes an organism more suited to its environment.
• Intraspecific

  competition for resources between members of the same species.
• Primary consumer 


  An animal that feeds only on producers
• Producer 


  An organism that can make its own food by photosynthesis ( plants & algae)
• Omnivore 


  An animal that feeds on both plants and other animals
• Detritivore


  An animal that feeds on dead organic matter ( woodlouse and maggot )
• Herbivore 


  An animial that only feeds on plants
• Niche


  The role played by a species within its community ( what it eats, what eats it & where it lives )
• Secondary consumers 


  An organism that feeds on primary consumers for energy
• Carnivore 


  An animal that feeds only on animals
• Tertiary consumer


  An organism that feeds on secondary consumers for energy
• Decomposer 


  A microscopic organism that feeds on dead organic matter ( bacteria & fungi )
• Invasive non-native species


  Any non-native animal or plant that has the ability to spread and cause damage to the environment, economy, our health and the way we live
• Indicator species

  A species that shows the health of the environment by its presence or absence
• Non - native species 


  A species introduced by humans to an area it is not native to