#separator:tab #html:false #tags column:4 Ecosystem Living things and their nonliving surroundings interacting bio-ecology Habitat The place where an organism lives bio-ecology Niche An organism's role and way of life in its ecosystem bio-ecology Population All members of one species in an area bio-ecology Community All the populations living in an area bio-ecology Biosphere All the parts of Earth where life exists bio-ecology Biome A large region defined by climate, plants and animals bio-ecology Biotic factor A living part of an ecosystem bio-ecology Abiotic factor A nonliving part, like sunlight or water bio-ecology Producer An organism that makes its own food, like a plant bio-ecology Consumer An organism that eats other organisms bio-ecology Herbivore An animal that eats only plants bio-ecology Carnivore An animal that eats only animals bio-ecology Omnivore An animal that eats both plants and animals bio-ecology Decomposer An organism that breaks down dead matter, like fungi bio-ecology Scavenger An animal that eats dead animals it did not kill bio-ecology Predator An animal that hunts other animals bio-ecology Prey An animal that is hunted bio-ecology Food chain A single path of energy from one organism to the next bio-ecology Food web Many connected food chains bio-ecology Trophic level A step in a food chain bio-ecology Energy pyramid A diagram showing energy decreasing at each level bio-ecology How much energy passes to the next level, roughly? About 10 percent bio-ecology Primary consumer An herbivore that eats producers bio-ecology Secondary consumer An animal that eats primary consumers bio-ecology Apex predator A predator at the top of the food chain bio-ecology Symbiosis A close relationship between two species bio-ecology Mutualism Both species benefit bio-ecology Commensalism One species benefits and the other is not affected bio-ecology Parasitism One species benefits and the other is harmed bio-ecology Competition Organisms using the same limited resources bio-ecology Carrying capacity The most individuals an environment can support bio-ecology Limiting factor Something that keeps a population from growing, like food bio-ecology Succession The slow change in an ecosystem's community over time bio-ecology Primary succession Life starting in a place with no soil, like new rock bio-ecology Secondary succession Regrowth after a disturbance where soil remains bio-ecology Pioneer species The first species to move into a new area bio-ecology Keystone species A species that has a big effect on its ecosystem bio-ecology Invasive species A non-native species that spreads and harms an ecosystem bio-ecology Native species A species that naturally lives in an area bio-ecology Endangered species A species at risk of dying out bio-ecology Extinct No members of the species are left alive bio-ecology Biodiversity The variety of life in an area bio-ecology Tundra Cold, treeless biome with frozen ground bio-ecology Taiga (boreal forest) Cold forest biome with evergreen trees bio-ecology Temperate forest Forest with four seasons and deciduous trees bio-ecology Tropical rainforest Warm, wet forest with the most species bio-ecology Grassland Biome of grasses with few trees bio-ecology Savanna Tropical grassland with scattered trees bio-ecology Desert Biome that gets very little rain bio-ecology Wetland Land covered with water for much of the year, like a marsh bio-ecology Estuary Where a river meets the sea and fresh and salt water mix bio-ecology Coral reef An underwater ecosystem built by coral animals bio-ecology Nitrogen cycle How nitrogen moves between air, soil and living things bio-ecology Carbon cycle How carbon moves between air, living things and Earth bio-ecology Water cycle How water moves between Earth's surface and the air bio-ecology Nitrogen fixation Bacteria turning nitrogen gas into a form plants can use bio-ecology Hibernation A long winter sleep to save energy bio-ecology Migration Moving from one region to another with the seasons bio-ecology Camouflage Coloring that helps an organism blend into its surroundings bio-ecology Mimicry When one species looks like another bio-ecology Estivation A summer sleep to survive heat or drought bio-ecology Overpopulation When there are too many individuals for the resources bio-ecology Ecological footprint The amount of nature a person or group uses bio-ecology