ECOLOGY VOCABULARY TEST #2
DEFINE and give an EXAMPLE of each vocabulary term:
1. Population – a group of the same species in an area / all the squirrels in a forest
2. Limiting Factor – any biotic or abiotic factor that affects the survival of organisms / available food, water, shelter
3. Biomes – large areas around the world that have similar characteristics like plants, temperature, rainfall / rainforest
4. Secondary Succession – regrowth of an area affected by fire or other natural disasters / La. after Katrina
5. Herbivores – animals that only eat plants / grasshoppers
6. Biology – the study of life / learning about the life cycle of mosquitoes
7. Omnivores – organisms that eat plants and animals / bears
8. Carnivores – organisms that eat meat or other animals / lions
9. Abiotic – non-living / rocks
10. Ecosystem – all the abiotic and biotic factors in an area / a forest
11. Habitat – where an organism live / its home
12. Autotroph – organisms that make their own food using sunlight / rose bush
13. Competition – challenges between organisms for resources like food, water, shelter 2
14. Community – all the different populations in an area / all the white tail deer + all the live oak trees + all the banana spiders in a forest
15. Heterotroph – organisms that must eat/absorb their food crickets
16. Decomposer – organisms that eat and break down dead organisms / maggots
17. Climax Community – a stable stage in ecological growth / a hardwood forest in Ga.
18. Succession – gradual change to an area and its inhabitants / shrubs out competing grasses
19. Parasite – an organism that feeds off other living organisms / tape worm
20. Niche – an organism’s job or role / carnivore
21. Scavenger – an organism that eat dead organisms / buzzard
22. Biotic – living / cat
23. Primary Succession – the first stage an area would undergo to begin creating soil and introducing new organisms / lichens living on rocks
24. Species – organisms that are similar and can successfully interbreed / raccoons
25. Homeostasis – maintaining an internal balance or equilibrium / sweating to cool your body temperature down