1
the dying out or extermination of a species
Extinction
the ability to produce offspring or support life
Fertility
a species that dominates other species, causing damage to the ecosystem; typically, non-native species that are introduced by humans
Invasive Species
a complex network of food chains that shows how organisms in an ecosystem relate to each other through feeding
Food Web
a sequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism; intertwine into a food web because most organisms consume more than one type of organism
Food Chain
the range of different inherited genes and traits within a population or species
Genetic Diversity
the variety and variability of life on Earth, including all living things and their interactions
Biodiversity
the average maximum number of individuals of a given species that can occupy a particular habitat without permanently impairing the productive capacity of that habitat
Carrying Capacity
organisms of the same species living together in a group at a particular place
population
all of the living and nonliving components that interact in the same geographic area
Ecosystem
living components of the environment that affect the ecosystem or other living things in the environment
biotic factors
non-living elements of the environment that influence the way that organisms and ecosystems function
abiotic factors
a species that is peculiar to a specific region
Endemic
a large, ecological community of organisms adapted to a particular climatic or environmental condition in a large geographic area
Biome
a natural process that results from accumulation of nutrients in lakes or other bodies of water
Eutrophication