Download Unit E Key Terms Our Planet

Unit E Key Terms
Our Planet-Life on Earth
 Biotic factor-living thing
Our Planet-Life on Earth
 Abiotic factor-non-living thing
Classification
 Classify-to put things into groups based
on what they have in common
Classification
 Kingdom-the largest classification group
used in science
Classification
 Species-a group of organisms that can
reproduce and produce fertile offspring;
Classification
 Producer-organism that gets its energy
by making its own food
Classification
 Consumer-organism that gets its energy
by eating food
Classification
 Unicellular-organism made of one cell
(examples: bacteria, protists, yeast)
Classification
 Multicellular-organism made of more than
one cell (examples: plants, animals)
E72-The Miracle Fish
 Ecologist-scientist that studies the
relationship between organisms and
environments
E72-The Miracle Fish
 Evidence-proof; facts
E72-The Miracle Fish
 Trade-off-a risk that you accept in order
to achieve a gain
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Ecosystem Structure
 Organism-a single living thing
Ecosystem Structure
 Population-a group of organisms of the
same species living in the same area
Ecosystem Structure
 Community-a group of populations (all
the living things) in the same area
Ecosystem Structure
 Ecosystem-the living and non-living parts
of an area
E73-Introduced Species
 Introduced species-organism that
humans have introduced outside of the
organisms’ normal range
E77-Ups and Downs
 Fluctuation-to change; to rise and fall
E78-Coughing Up Clues
 Energy flow-the movement of energy
through an ecosystem
E78-Coughing Up Clues
 Food web-a diagram that shows the
feeding relationships within an
ecosystem
E78-Coughing Up Clues
 Predator-an animal that hunts other
animals for food
E78-Coughing Up Clues
 Prey-an animal that is hunted
E78-Coughing Up Clues
 Decomposer-organism that gets its
energy by eating dead organisms and
wastes
E79-Eating for Energy
 Photosynthesis-the process in which
plants use sunlight as energy to convert
carbon dioxide and water into food
E79-Eating for Energy
 Plankton-microscopic animals and plants
that live in the water
Natural Resources
 Natural resource-anything in the
environment used by people
Natural Resources
 Renewable-a resource that is always
available or naturally replaced in a short
period of time (a life time)
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WIND
WATER
PLANTS
SUNLIGHT
Natural Resources
 Nonrenewable-a resource that is not
replaced in a short period of time (a
lifetime)
COAL
OIL
E80-Nature’s Recyclers
 Microbe-very small living thing
E82-The Cells of
Producers
 Cell wall-part of a plant cell that
surrounds the cell membrane and
protects the cell
E82-The Cells of
Producers
 Chloroplast-part of a plant cell where
photosynthesis occurs
E83-A Suitable Habitat
 Habitat-type of place in which an
organism normally lives
E84-Clam Catch
 Competition-when species compete for a
limited resource, such as food or space
E85-Is There Room for One
More?
 Carrying capacity-the maximum
population of a species that can be
supported its environment
E86-Taking a Look Outside
 Field study-an outdoor scientific
investigation
E74-Observing Organisms
 Anthropomorphism-to give human
characteristics to non-human living things
E74-Observing Organisms
 Ecology-study of the relationships
between living organisms and the
physical environment
E74-Observing Organisms
 Observation-information gathered with
one of your five senses
E74-Observing Organisms
 Inference-an explanation for an
observation
E74-Observing Organisms
 Anthropocentrism-to assume that an
animal’s behavior is a reflection or
reaction to the scientist
E75-Classifying Animals
 Invertebrate-an animal without a
backbone
E75-Classifying Animals
 Vertebrate-an animal with a backbone
E75-Classifying Animals
 Genus-first part of a scientific name
E75-Classifying Animals
 Phylum (phyla)-the second largest
classification group; kingdoms are
divided into phyla