General Terms

• Ecology is the study that deals with the interactions of the organisms with their environment
• Molecules are group of atoms; smallest unit of most chemical substance
• Population is a group of organisms of one type living in a particular area at one time.
• Community is populations of different species living in the same area, interacting with each other
• Ecosystem is a community with their interaction to non-living things
• Biosphere is part of the Earth that contains all ecosystems
• Molecules - Cells - Tissues - Organs - Organ System - Organism - Population - Community - Ecosystem - Biome - Biosphere
• Abiotic Factors are non-living factors that affect living organisms like temperature, sunlight, etc.
• Biotic Factors are all living things or their materials that directly or indirectly affect the organisms in their environment like plants, bacteria, fungi, etc.
• Biodiversity is the differences, assortment or variety of living things in an ecosystem
• habitat is the place where an organism lives and the conditions in which it lives; characterized by distinctive physical features
• Niche is the role played by a species within its habitat
• Trophic Levels are hierarchy of energy transfers; "who eats whom?"
• Level 1 are producers, Level 2 are herbivores, Level 3 and higher are carnivores
• Decomposers are organisms that feed on all levels
• Detritivores are organisms that obtain nutrition from dead organic matter (detritus).
• Neutral interaction is a type of relationship that happens when neither of the organisms are harmed nor benefits
• Commensalism is an interaction where one organism benefits while the other remains unaffected.
• Mutualism is an interaction between two or more different species where both benefit.
• Parasitism is an interaction where one organism benefits while hurting the other (slowly)
• Predation is an interaction where one organism kills and consumes another.
• Interspecific Competition is a type of interaction when both organisms are harmed
• Symbiosis is any close association between two dissimilar living things, especially if it involves mutual dependence.
• Keystone species are species that are essential to the functioning of an ecosystem; meaning they have a strong influence on other species in the ecosystem
• Macronutrients are elements that are required in large quantities for growth and maintenance of life. The big 6 elements are oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorus and sulfur
• Micronutrients are elements and compounds that are required in small amounts to maintain health.
• Tropical Rainforest is found near equators and the Earth's most complex biome. Hot but often moist. Ideal for bacteria and other microorganisms
• Temperate Deciduous Forest is found at temperate zones. Most of human population lives here. Characterized by four seasons.
• Taiga also known as boreal forest, is a biome found in the northern hemisphere. Winters here are long and cold, and summers are short and warm.
• Savanna also known as tropical grassland contains the largest number of species of any terrestrial biome. Found in the tropics near the equator. Fire plays a large role in this ecosystem as it has more hot and dry season.
• Steppe and Prairie are found in Russia and Ukraine, is biome that is cold, dry, grasslands, characterized by high winds
• Chapparal is located at coastal areas with Mediterranean climate, temperature is nice
• Desert can be found in various places, characterized by low precipitation and high temperatures, to dry for decay
• Tundra is found north of the Artic Circle, and is covered in permafrost, has short growing season
• Lake is the deepest of fresh water systems, fed by underground aquifer or stream
• Pond is a fresh water system fed by rainfall and may be seasonal
• Littoral zone is a nutrient rich area found close to the shore
• Benthic zone is the bottom of the lake where no sun light can reach
• Marsh is a wetland dominated by herbaceous plants such as grasses, rushes, or sedges that usually forms along the shallow parts of lake and river
• Swamp is found on flat, poorly drained land, often near streams, where bogs are dominant