Lesson 1
habitat
a natural environment where an animal, plant, or species lives, grows, and thrives.
symbiosis
a close, long-term relationship between two different species.
producer
organisms that use energy from sunlight to make their own food through photosynthesis.
renewable resources
a resource that can be replenished naturally at the same rate than it is consumed.
population
a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area at the same time.
carrying capacity
the maximum number of individuals of a species that an ecosystem can support based on available resources.
consumer
organisms that cannot make their own food and must eat other organisms for energy.
nonrenewable resources
a resource that exists in a limited supply and takes millions of years to form.
community
all the different populations that live and interact in the same area.
detritivore
organisms that consume decaying organic matter and "clean up" the ecosystem.
resource depletion
the exhaustion of raw materials in an area. This happens when resources are used faster than they can be replaced which leads to lesser amount and environmental stress.
niche
the job or role of an animal has in its environment including what it eats and how it survives.
food web
a network of interconnected food chains that shows different paths energy takes through an entire ecosystem.
predation
an interaction where one organism captures and feeds on another organism.
energy pyramid
a model showing that energy decreases as it moves up through levels.