ECOLOGY

POPULATION

• All the members of the same species that inhabit a particular area
• Population of fish

ECOLOGY

• Study of the interactions of organisms with each other and with the physical environment.
• Why certain fish live in coral and warm, tropical waters.

COMMUNITY

• All the populations found in a particular area.
• A coral reef contains numerous populations of fishes and corals.

ECOSYSTEM

• A community and its physical environment, including both nonliving (abiotic) and living (biotic) components.
• Energy flow and chemical cycling within an ecosystem can affect the inhabiting organisms.

BIOSPHERE

• All the communities on Earth whose members exist in air and water on land.
• Diversity and composition of the coral reef ecosystem.

AUTOTROPHS

• Require only inorganic proteins and an outside energy source to produce orgsnic nutrients.
• Trees (producers)

HETEROTROPHS

• Need a preformed source of organic nutrients.
• Humans (consumers)

HERBIVORES

• Animals that graze directly on plants or algae.
• Giraffes do not eat meat

CARNIVORES

• Feed on other animals
• Hawks that feed on birds

DECOMPOSERS

• Heterotrophic bacteria and fungi that break down dead or organic matter.
• Molds and mushrooms