Ecology
Key Terms
Ecosystem – interaction of a community of living organisms with non-living in their
environment.
Habitat – area which provides materials to enable organism to survive, reproduce and live.
Community – a group of interdependent living organisms in an ecosystem, all the population of
an organism in an ecosystem.
Population – the number of one species.
Niche – the role a species plays in their ecosystem, where they live and what they eat.
Biotic – a living factor that affects the community.
Abiotic – a non-living factor that affects the habitat.
Competition – process by which organisms compete for limited resources e.g. food and light.
Interspecific – competition between members of different species
Intraspecific – competition between members of the same species
Competition
Competition is the process by which living creatures compete for limited resources such as
food, light and sexual partners.
Plants Animals
minerals food
light mates
water water
, space territory
Ecosystem
Each species within an ecosystem has its own niche. This is the role the species plays in the
ecosystem, where is lives and what it eats.
Biotic Factors:
availability of food
new predators arriving
new pathogens
new competition
Abiotic Factors:
light intensity
temperature
moisture levels
soil pH and mineral content
wind intensity and direction
CO2 levels for plants
availability of oxygen for aquatic animals
Some factors such as light intensity, temperature, moisture levels, wind intensity and direction
change daily.
Some factors like soil pH and mineral content, CO2 levels for plants, availability of oxygen for
aquatic animals, new predators arriving, availability of food, new pathogens and new
competitors, temperature, light and moisture levels can all change yearly.
Interdependence
A stable community is one where all of the species and
environmental factors are in balance so population sizes remain
fairly constant.
Key Terms
Ecosystem – interaction of a community of living organisms with non-living in their
environment.
Habitat – area which provides materials to enable organism to survive, reproduce and live.
Community – a group of interdependent living organisms in an ecosystem, all the population of
an organism in an ecosystem.
Population – the number of one species.
Niche – the role a species plays in their ecosystem, where they live and what they eat.
Biotic – a living factor that affects the community.
Abiotic – a non-living factor that affects the habitat.
Competition – process by which organisms compete for limited resources e.g. food and light.
Interspecific – competition between members of different species
Intraspecific – competition between members of the same species
Competition
Competition is the process by which living creatures compete for limited resources such as
food, light and sexual partners.
Plants Animals
minerals food
light mates
water water
, space territory
Ecosystem
Each species within an ecosystem has its own niche. This is the role the species plays in the
ecosystem, where is lives and what it eats.
Biotic Factors:
availability of food
new predators arriving
new pathogens
new competition
Abiotic Factors:
light intensity
temperature
moisture levels
soil pH and mineral content
wind intensity and direction
CO2 levels for plants
availability of oxygen for aquatic animals
Some factors such as light intensity, temperature, moisture levels, wind intensity and direction
change daily.
Some factors like soil pH and mineral content, CO2 levels for plants, availability of oxygen for
aquatic animals, new predators arriving, availability of food, new pathogens and new
competitors, temperature, light and moisture levels can all change yearly.
Interdependence
A stable community is one where all of the species and
environmental factors are in balance so population sizes remain
fairly constant.
