Ecology Vocabulary
Vocabulary Term / Book Definition / My Definition / Pictureecology / The study of the interactions between organisms and their environment
community / All of the populations of different species that live and interact in an area
estuary / An area where fresh water from streams and rivers spills into the ocean
biotic / Describes living factors in the environment
ecosystem / A community of organisms and their nonliving environment
desert / A hot , dry biome inhabited by organisms adapted to survive high daytime temperatures and long periods without rain
deciduous forest / Describes trees with leaves that change color in autumn and fall off in winter
marsh / A treeless wetland ecosystem where such plants a cattails and rushes grow (488)
abiotic / Describes nonliving factors in the environment
biosphere / The part of the Earth where life exists
tundra / A far-northern biome characterized by long, cold winters, PERMAFROST, and few trees
taiga(coniferous forest) / Coniferous forests are found in areas with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Consist mainly of evergreen trees.
swamp / A wetland ecosystem in which trees and vines grow
population / A group of individuals of the same species that live together in the same area at the same time
permafrost / The permanently frozen ground below the soil surface in the arctic tundra
marine biome / Describes an ecosystem based on salty water
herbivore / A consumer that eats plants
food chain / A diagram (picture or words) that represents how the energy in food molecules flows from one organism to the next
niche / An organism’s way of life and its relationships with its abiotic (nonliving) and biotic (living) environments
symbiosis / A close, long-term association between two or more species
carnivore / A consumer that eats animals
food web / A complex diagram representing the many energy pathways in a real ecosystem
carrying capacity / The largest population that a given environment can support over a long period of time
mutualism / A symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit
omnivore / A consumer that eats a variety of organisms
energy pyramid / A diagram shaped like a triangle that shows the loss of energy at each level of the food chain
prey / An organism that is eaten by another organism
commensalisms / A symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is unaffected
succession / The gradual re-growth or development of a community of organisms over time
scavenger / An animal that feeds on the bodies of dead animals
habitat / The environment where an organism lives
predator / An organism that eats other organisms
parasitism / A symbiotic association in which one organism benefits while the other is harmed