Organism Habitat Biotic Factor Abiotic Factor Photosynthesis A living thing Habitat The specific environment that provides the things an organism needs to live, grow and reproduce Biotic Factor A living part of an organism’s habitat Abiotic Factor A nonliving part of an organism’s habitat Photosynthesis The process where some organisms use water and carbon dioxide, with light to make food

Species Population Community Ecosystem Ecology A group of organisms that are physically similar, can mate and produce fertile offspring Population All the members of one species in a particular area Community All the different populations that live together in a area Ecosystem The community of organisms that live in a particular area along with their nonliving surroundings Ecology The study of how organisms react with their environment

Estimate Birth Rate Death Rate Immigration Emigration An approximation of a number, base on reasonable assumptions Birth Rate The number of births in a population in a certain amount of time Death Rate The number of deaths in a population in a certain amount of time Immigration Moving into a population Emigration Leaving a population

Population Density Limiting Factor Carrying Capacity Natural Selection The number of individuals in a area of a specific size Limiting Factor An environmental factor that prevents a population from increasing in size Carrying Capacity The largest population that an area can support Natural Selection A process where individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive than others Adaptations A behavior or physical characteristic that allows an organism to survive or reproduce in its environment

Niche Competition Predation Predator Prey The role of an organism in its environment or how it makes its living Competition The struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resource Predation An interaction where one organism kills another for food Predator The organism that does the killing in a predation interaction Prey An organism that is killed and eaten by another organism

Symbiosis Mutualism Parasitism Parasite Commensalism A close relationship between two organisms of different species that benefits at least one of the organisms Mutualism A close relationship between two organisms of different species in which both organisms benefit Commensalism A close relationship between two organisms of different species where one benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed Parasitism A relationship in which one organism lives on or in a host and harms it Parasite The organism that benefits by living on or in a host in a parasitic relationship

Host Succession Primary Succession Pioneer Species The organism that a parasite or virus lives on or in Succession The series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time Primary Succession The series of changes that occur in an areas where no soil or organisms exist Pioneer Species The first species to populate an area Secondary Succession The series of changes that occur in an area where the ecosystem has been disturbed but soil and organisms still exist