Glossary
Abiotic
Refers to the non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem.
Example:
Sunlight, water, soil pH, and temperature are crucial abiotic factors influencing plant growth in a forest.
Aquatic Ecosystem
An ecosystem that exists in water, encompassing both freshwater (lakes, rivers) and saltwater (oceans, estuaries) environments.
Example:
The Amazon River is a massive aquatic ecosystem teeming with diverse fish, amphibians, and plant life.
Atmospheric Ecosystem
Refers to the air-based components and processes within the atmosphere that interact with living organisms and influence global climate patterns.
Example:
The movement of pollutants through the air, affecting distant ecosystems, highlights interactions within the atmospheric ecosystem.
Biosphere
The sum of all ecosystems on Earth; the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships with the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere.
Example:
From the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountain peaks, the entire biosphere supports life.
Biotic
Refers to the living or once-living components within an ecosystem.
Example:
The biotic factors in a pond include fish, algae, frogs, and bacteria.
Commensalism
A type of symbiotic relationship where one species benefits, and the other species is neither harmed nor helped.
Example:
Barnacles attaching to a whale's skin, gaining a place to live and filter feed without affecting the whale, is an example of commensalism.
Competition
The struggle between organisms for the same limited resources, such as food, water, light, or space.
Example:
Two different species of birds trying to nest in the same tree cavity will engage in competition for that limited space.
Ecosystem
A specific geographical area where living (biotic) organisms interact with their non-living (abiotic) physical and chemical environment.
Example:
A desert is an ecosystem where cacti, reptiles, and insects interact with sand, extreme temperatures, and limited water.
Ecosystem Dynamics
The study of how ecosystems change over time due to interactions between biotic and abiotic factors, including disturbances, succession, and human impacts.
Example:
Understanding the ecosystem dynamics of a forest after a major wildfire helps scientists predict its recovery trajectory and the return of different species.
Ecosystem Engineers
A type of keystone species that creates, modifies, or maintains physical habitat for themselves and other species, significantly altering the landscape.
Example:
Beavers are ecosystem engineers because their dam-building activities transform streams into ponds, creating new wetlands that support diverse aquatic and terrestrial life.
Evolution
The process by which populations of organisms change over successive generations, often driven by natural selection in response to environmental pressures.
Example:
The development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria over time is a clear example of evolution through natural selection.
Keystone Species
A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, often playing a critical role in maintaining ecosystem structure and function.
Example:
Sea otters are a keystone species in kelp forests because they control sea urchin populations, preventing them from overgrazing kelp and destroying the habitat.
Mutualism
A type of symbiotic relationship where both interacting species benefit from the interaction.
Example:
Bees pollinating flowers while collecting nectar is a perfect example of mutualism, as both organisms gain something essential.
Niche
The specific role and position a species has within its ecosystem, encompassing its use of resources, interactions with other species, and environmental conditions it tolerates.
Example:
A woodpecker's niche includes drilling into trees for insects, creating cavities for other animals, and helping control insect populations.
Parasitism
A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism (the parasite) benefits by living on or in another organism (the host), which is harmed.
Example:
A tick feeding on the blood of a deer, weakening the deer while gaining nutrients, is an instance of parasitism.
Predator-Prey
An ecological interaction where one organism (the predator) hunts and kills another organism (the prey) for food.
Example:
A lion chasing a zebra on the savanna demonstrates a classic predator-prey relationship.
Resource Partitioning
The process by which species divide a niche to avoid direct competition for limited resources, allowing them to coexist.
Example:
Different species of bats hunting insects at different times of the night or in different parts of a forest canopy demonstrate resource partitioning.
Symbiotic Relationships
Close and long-term interactions between two different biological species.
Example:
The diverse array of interactions between species in a coral reef, from mutualism to parasitism, are all forms of symbiotic relationships.
Terrestrial Ecosystem
An ecosystem that exists on land, characterized by specific landforms, climate, and vegetation.
Example:
A vast grassland where bison graze and wolves hunt is a classic terrestrial ecosystem.