ecology

• Define ecology


  The scientific study of interactions between organisms and their enviroments
• the two factors the environment is made up of

  Biotic and abiotic factors
• biotic factors


  all living organisms inhibiting the earth
• Abiotic factors 


  nonliving parts of the environment
• Species


  A group of organisms that interbreed to produce fertile offspring
• population


  all individuals of the same species living in the same place at the same time
• habitiat


  the place where an organism lives
• community


  all the organisms that live in the same area at the same time
• biosphere


  life supporting portions of the earth composed of air, land, fresh water and salt water
• Ecosystem


  consists of a group of interrelated organisms and their physical and chemical non-living environment compontents within which they occur naturally.
• food chain


  simple model that shows how matter and enegry flows through an ecosystem
• niche


  the role a species plays in a community; its position in the food chain
• habitat


  the place in which an organism lives