Definitions
Non-living things in an ecosystem.
What are abiotic factors?
Organisms that generate their own energy through photosynthesis.
What is a producer?
The zone where species can’t tolerate the abiotic factors and there will not be any of the species present.
What is the zone of intolerance?
The species dying out and no longer existing on earth.
What is extinction?
Animals that don’t naturally occur in an area but are introduced due to deliberate or accidental human activities.
What is a non-native species?
The use of chemicals and pesticides to control the population of introduced species.
What is chemical control?
Ecosystems that are natural and self-sustaining.
What is a natural ecosystem?
Living things, their remains, their products, and their waste.
What are biotic factors?
Organisms that are unable to create their own energy but rather consume other organisms to obtain energy.
What is a consumer?
The zone where organisms are able to survive but not thrive. The weaker organisms will die and the others will have a reduced level of function with an overall low population.
What is the zone of phsychological stress?
A species that is likely to become endangered if factors reducing its survival are not changed.
What is a threatened species?
A non-native species whose intentional/accidental introduction negatively impacts the natural environment.
What is an invasive species?
Using intentionally introduced organisms to control invasive species.
What is biological control?
Human designed and human impacted environments.
What's an engineered ecosystem?
All the organisms that live and interact within an area.
What is a community?
The most favourable conditions where species can survive and reproduce.
What is the optimal range?
A species that is facing imminent extirpation or extinction.
What is an endangered species?
When invasive species compete with or feed on native species, leading to population or extinction. Changes the ecosystem dynamics by altering nutrient cycles or energy flow.
What are ecological damages done by invasive species?
The creation of physical barriers such as removal by hand, hunting, and when referring to plants burning or cutting down.
What is mechanical control?
An agricultural ecosystem.
What is an agroecosystem?
A group of individuals that are the same species and live in the same area.
What is a population?
A species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of factors.
What is a species under special concern?
When invasive species carry diseases throughout different parts of the world.
What are health damages done by invasive species?
Plant nutrients that have come from natural sources and haven’t been chemically altered by humans that are made from plant and animal waste.
What is natural fertilizer?
The constant state of conditions within the ecosystem over a period of time.
What is equilibrium?
A species that no longer exists in a certain area.
What is an extirpated species?
When invasive species damage forests and agriculture crops. Native plants have to compete with invasive plants which can hurt crop yields.
What are economical damages done by invasive species?
Fertilizers manufactured by humans.
What is synthetic fertilizer?