1. Ecology - The study of the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.

2. _____ _____are resources that limit the size of populations of organisms in an ecosystem. - Limiting Factors -examples: -climate -water -habitat -predation -pollution

3. Carrying Capacity the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain.

4. Biotic or Abiotic? Plants growing in a field. -Biotic Climate of an ecosystem. -Abiotic Decomposing plant matter. -Biotic Rocks in the soil. -Abiotic

5. Biotic Factors Definition noun, plural: biotic factors A factor created by a living thing or any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism, for example a predator consuming its prey.factorenvironmentorganism predatorprey Supplement Biotic factors are factors resulting from the activities of a living thing or any living component in an environment, such as the actions of an organism affecting the life of anothers organism.living thingenvironmentorganism For instance, in a quail’s environment, the biotic factors are the living elements of the environment such as the quail’s prey like insects, seeds, etc. and the quail’s predators like coyotesenvironmentpreyinsectsseedspredators

6. Niche Occupation (What they do) Ex. Bird -Build nests, gather food for chicks, protect eggs, etc.

7. Habitat Residence (Where they live) Ex. Bird -Nest in tree

8. Population A group of organisms of the same species

9. Biotic Only Biotic only? Or Both Biotic and Abiotic Populations A group of organisms of the same species

10. Community Populations living together in same area

11. Biotic Only Biotic only? Or Both Biotic and Abiotic Communities Populations living together in same area

12. Ecosystem Communities, plus the abiotic factors, living together in same area

13. Biotic and Abiotic! Biotic only? Or Both Biotic and Abiotic Ecosystem Communities, plus the abiotic factors, living together in same area

14. Biosphere All of the ecosystems on the planet combined

15. Symbiosis “Living Together” A close relationship between 2 or more species

16. Mutualism The cleaner fish eats parasites out of the inside of this moray eel. It gets a meal and is protected from predators by the fierce eel. The Moray eel gets clean of parasites.

17. Commensalism A Ramora fish follows a shark feeding off of the shark’s scraps and getting protection from the “big bad fish”. The Ramora fish does not bother the shark.

18. Parasitism A Mistletoe has no roots of its own and lives off the tree that it attaches itself to. It slowly chokes out the life of the host tree.

19. Energy Pyramid copyright cmassengale19 If the producer in this pyramid yeilds 2100 kcals of energy, then the 2 nd level consumer will get about…… 21 kcals!

20. Competition Occurs when 2 organisms try to use the same resource at the same place at the same time. Ex. cheetahs and lions, since both species feed on the same prey

21. Which organism is the squirrel in competition with? The Bird

22. Carrying Capacity the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain.

23. Biological Magnification Toxins (increase/decrease) as they move through trophic levels. Increase!

24. Succession Natural, gradual changes in the types of species that live in an area

25. http://botit.botany.wisc.edu http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/ Pioneer Plants -Lichens -Mosses

26. http://www.geo.arizona.edu Secondary Succession Pioneer plants Climax community

27. Primary Succession Pioneer Plants Climax Community