Ecology: The scientific study of interactions among organisms and their environment.
Ecosystem: A community of organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms present in an ecosystem, including species diversity, genetic
diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
Habitat: The specific place or environment in which an organism naturally lives and obtains its resources.
Food chain: A linear sequence of organisms in which each serves as a source of food or energy for the n
ext organism in the chain.
Food web: A complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, showing the flow of energy
and nutrients among organisms.
Trophic level: The position of an organism in a food chain or food web, indicating its feeding relationship t
o other organisms.
Producer: An organism, such as a plant, that produces organic compounds and serves as the primary sou
rce of energy in an ecosystem through photosynthesis.
Consumer: An organism that obtains energy by consuming other organisms or their remains.
Decomposer: An organism, such as bacteria or fungi, that breaks down dead organic matter and returns n
utrients to the environment.
Herbivore: A consumer that primarily eats plants or plant material.
Carnivore: A consumer that primarily feeds on other animals.
Omnivore: A consumer that eats both plants and animals.
Predator: An organism that hunts, kills, and consumes other organisms for food.
Prey: An organism that is hunted and consumed by a predator.
Symbiosis: A close and long-term interaction between different species in which both species benefit.
Mutualism: A type of symbiotic relationship where both species involved benefit from the interaction.
Parasitism: A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits (parasite) at the expense of the
other (host).
Commensalism: A type of symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither h
armed nor benefited.
Succession: The process of ecological change in an ecosystem over time, involving a sequence of differe
nt plant and animal communities.
Biome: A large-scale ecological community characterized by distinct climate and vegetation types.
Conservation: The protection, preservation, and management of natural resources and ecosystems to en
sure their sustainable use and survival.
Pollution: The introduction of harmful substances or contaminants into the environment, leading to negativ
e impacts on living organisms and ecosystems.
Climate change: Long-term alterations in temperature, precipitation patterns, and other aspects of the Ear
th’s climate system, primarily caused by human activities.
Sustainability: The practice of using resources in a way that meets the needs of the present generation wi
thout compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.