1. Habitat Notes

2. Species Interbreed and produce fertile offspring

3. Hybrid Interbreed but do not produce fertile offspring

4. Population Group of organism in an area

5. Biological Community Groups of different interacting organisms (plants and animals) in an area.

6. Ecosystem Ecologic System A community of organism Energy and nutrient processing system Has inputs and outputs Dynamic

7. Habitat Where an organism lives

8. Ecological Niche Your functional role (your job) in the ecosystem How you fit in, what you eat, what eats you, your tolerances Relationships with the environment

9. Generalist Species eats anything, can live anywhere Rats, Weeds

10. Specialist Species picky eater, fragile Koala

11. Competitive Exclusion Principle If two or more species coexist using a limited resources, one will be displaced. Rats & mice Grass & weeds Humans & just about everything else

12. Biotic Components Living factors surrounding plants and animals decomposers

13. Abiotic Components Nonliving Factors temp, salinity, sunlight, pH, wind, soil, moisture, gases, time

14. Biomes Major regional ecological community It is characterized by a distinct climate and therefore a particular set of plants and animals that have adapted to it. Tundra, Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Grassland and Desert Tropical Rain Forest

15. Aquatic Life Zones Aquatic equal of biome Marine Coral reefs, estuaries, deep ocean con’t shelf Freshwater Lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes

16. Biosphere Earth Biome or Earth Biological System or Global Biome Skin of life on the Earth bottom of ocean to top of highest mountains Intersection of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere Closed (materials) System Nutrients, O 2, CO 2,

17. Tolerances Temperature Sunlight Acidity of soil Air Pressure Pollution

18. Range of Tolerances Optimum Range Range of conditions that an organism is well adapted Stress Zone Conditions for survival and reproduction are possible but not optional Intolerance Zone Conditions for survival are not possible

19. Tolerances Different species have widely different ranges of tolerances. Cockroach, rat

20. Tolerances

21. Limiting Factors The factor that is in short supply and therefore limits the population size. Sunlight in lake, water in desert, food, Nutrients, Oxygen