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Answers
Ecology Definitions
Term
Definition
Abiotic Factor
NON-LIVING environmental factors such as wind, heat, light and soil
Biodiversity
The VARIETY of different species in an area
Biotic Factor
LIVING ORGANISMS that interact with other living organisms in an
ecosystem (e.g., organisms compete for resources, predators and prey)
Biogeography Study of the distribution of plants and animals
Carnivore
Organism that eats MEAT
Community
All the populations of DIFFERENT organisms in an area
Food Chain
Simply, straight-line chain that shows the flow of energy from the
primary producers to the top predator
Food Web
All food chains connected to show all relationships between organisms
Herbivore
Organism that eats PLANTS
Inorganic
Substance
Substances that DO NOT contain a combination of carbon AND
hydrogen
Omnivore
Organism that consumes both plants AND animals
Organic
Substance
Substances that ALWAYS contain carbon AND hydrogen
Population
All the species of ONE organism in an area
Primary
Consumer
Organism that cannot make its own food; rather it consumes the
Producer.
Producer
Organism that is capable of making its own energy (e.g., tree, grass)
Secondary
Consumer
Organisms that rely on and typically consume the Primary Producers as
an energy source
Grade 9 Academic Science – Unit 1 Sustainable Ecosystems
Ecology Definitions – Test Support
Term
Abiotic Factor
Biodiversity
Biotic Factor
Biogeography
Carnivore
Community
Food Chain
Food Web
Herbivore
Inorganic
Substance
Omnivore
Organic
Substance
Population
Primary
Consumer
Producer
Secondary
Consumer
Definition
Grade 9 Academic Science – Unit 1 Sustainable Ecosystems
Definitions
Abiotic Factor
 NON-LIVING environmental factors such as wind, heat, light and soil
Biotic Factor
 LIVING ORGANISMS that interact with other living organisms in an
ecosystem (e.g., organisms compete for resources, predators and
prey)
Habitat
 Environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species
Niche
 The relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to
each other (e.g., interactions, what happens)
Organism
 a living thing that has the ability to act or function independently
(e.g., an individual, one)
Species
 Group of organisms whose members can interbreed
Population
 All the species of ONE organism in an area
Community
 All the populations of DIFFERENT organisms in an area
Biodiversity
 The VARIETY of different species in an area