Ecology

BIOTIC FACTORS = the living parts of an environment

ABIOTIC FACTORS = the nonliving parts of the environment

ECOLOGY = the study of organisms and their interactions with their environment

1. Species

2. POPULATION = a group of organisms of the same species living in a specific area (group of tigers)

3. COMMUNITY = different populations that live and interact in one area ( tigers, gazelle, zebra, elephant)

4. ECOSYSTEM = all communities plus ABIOTIC factors (tigers, rocks, lions, water, elephant, air, plant)

5. BIOME = a group of similar ecosystems
Example: grassland, tundra, tropical

Biosphere

Listed smallest - largest

• Species
• Population
• Community
• Ecosystem
• Biome
• Biosphere

limiting factors- limits the size of the population (could make it go down)
Example: drought, food shortage, living space

Carrying Capacity- max number of people or other living organisms the environment can support without collapse or death.