Unit 7 Vocabulary

biotic Organisms living or that had once lived in the environment (i.e., mouse, clover, dead tree)

abiotic Non-living factors in the environment (i.e., light, temperature, water, atmospheric gases, wind, soil, and nature of land surface)

habitat The place in which an animal lives

ecosystem A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

sustainability The capacity to endure. In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.

biodiversity The variety of organisms in an ecosystem

biome Large geographic areas with similar climates and ecosystems (i.e., desert, tundra, etc.)

population Made up from all of the organisms in an ecosystem that belong to the same species

ecosystem A smaller part of the biosphere consisting of the organisms and non-living features that interact in an area

primary succession the development of biotic (living) communities in a previously uninhabited and barren habitat with little or no soil

secondary succession The development of communities in an area that has been disturbed but still retains its topsoil, as in a burned-over area

climax community An ecological community in which populations of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other and their environment. A climax community is the final stage of succession

species All organisms of the same kind that adapted to a particular set of resources (called a niche) in the environment

pioneer species The first species/organisms to grow in an area after a disturbance.

microhabitat A small habitat that differs in character from some surrounding more extensive habitat.