Ecosystem Interactions Vocabulary
- variable - a condition or factor that changes in an investigation so the effects can be observed
- hypothesis - a statement that can be tested by an investigation or observation
- systems - a group of things or parts that work together
- cycles - a sequence of events that is repeated over and over
- model - a three-dimensional representation of a person or thing, typically on a smaller scale than the original
- relationships - a connection, association, or involvement between two or more things.
- organisms - any living thing, including all plants and animals
- living -they are capable of growth, reproduction, movement, metabolism. Require energy to exist. Examples are animals and plants.
- non-living - they lack the capability for growth, reproduction, respiration, metabolism, and movement. Examples of non-living
- interdependence - each member is equally dependent on another for survival
- environment - the surroundings of an organism
- ecosystem - all the living and nonliving things in a certain environment
- habitats - a place in an ecosystem where an organism lives
- terrariums - a small enclosure or closed container in which plants and animals, are kept and observed.
- food web - a system of overlapping and connection food chains
- food chain - the sequence that traces food energy in an ecosystem
- flow of energy - the transfer of physical energy from one body or place to another
- producers - an organism that makes its own food
- consumers - an organism that receives energy by eating other organisms
- decomposers - an organism, such as bacteria or fungus, that breaks down dead matter, returning it to the soil
- survive - to stay alive
- competition - a contest between organisms for food, territory, or other resources
- population - all members of a species living in the same environment
- human impact - the effect humans have on the environment
- basic needs - the things an organism needs to live such as water, air, food, and shelter
- structure - related to the physical composition of an object
- function - how something works
- inherited traits - a characteristic passed from parent to offspring through genes
- learned behaviors - a behavior that is taught or has been acquired through experience
- complete metamorphosis - the life cycle of an organism whose appearance changes substantially at each of the four stages (egg, larva, pupa, adult)
- incomplete metamorphosis - the life cycle an organism whose appearance does not change substantially and has 3 stages (egg, nymph, adult)
- adaptations - a structure or behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment
- reproduce - to have offspring or to produce more of a given animal or plant
- photosynthesis - the process by which plants cells make food from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide
- transpiration - the release of water vapor by plants things are rock, water, and sun.
- environmental engineer - someone concerned with solving problems with air, water, soil, and the natural environment.
- acid - a chemical compound which is soluble in water, tastes sour and turns blue litmus paper pink. Acids neutralize bases.
- base - Substances like baking soda which have a bitter taste and have a soap-like texture, are known as bases
- neutral - has a pH of 7, it's neutral
- pH test - a test for acidity
- pH scale - pH is a number from 0 to 14. From 0 to 7 are acids, with 0 being the strongest.
- pollution - any contamination of air, soil, water and environment