Unit 6 Vocabulary Ecology

Ecology The study of organisms and their interactions with the environment.

producer Organism that uses photosynthesis to make energy. (plants, algae, phytoplankton)

consumer Organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms.

decomposer Organism that gets its energy by eating dead and decaying organisms. Recycles nutrients. (fungi and bacteria)

biotic living factors in the environment (bacteria, protists, fungi, plants & animals)

nonliving factors in the environment abiotic nonliving factors in the environment (dirt, sunlight, water)

consumers that eat plants herbivore consumers that eat plants

consumers that eat animals carnivore consumers that eat animals

consumers that eat plants & animals omnivore consumers that eat plants & animals

an animal that feeds on the bodies of dead animals scavenger an animal that feeds on the bodies of dead animals

food chain a diagram that shows how the energy flows from one organism to the next

food web a model of the feeding relationships between many different consumers and producers in an ecosystem

The moray eel gets a clean mouth and the cleaner fish gets a meal mutualism a relationship between two organisms in which both organisms benefit (Good – Good) The moray eel gets a clean mouth and the cleaner fish gets a meal

Commensalism a relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected (Good – neutral)

parasitism a relationship between two organisms in which one organism benefits and the other is harmed (Good – Bad)

Predator-an animal that eats another animal Prey- an animal that is eaten by a predator

biome a large region characterized by a specific type of climate and certain types of plant and animal communities