SNC 1D1: ECOLOGY VOCABULARY SUMMARY
The following terms are useful when communicating arguments or ideas associated with
Ecology.
GENERAL ECOLOGICAL TERMS
Ecology (n): the study of the interactions of living things with their environment
Ecological (adj): used to describe things associated with ecology
Organism (n): any living thing (includes plants and animals)
Resources (n): food, shelter, mates, water – things necessary for an organism’s survival and
success in reproduction
Abiotic (adj): non-living
Biotic (adj): living
Factor (n): something that affects/determines the outcome of the survival of an organism
Biodiversity (n): the number of different species of organisms (ie. Different types of birds,
mammals, reptiles, amphibians) in a given ecosystem, and the variety of organisms (ie. Is there a
wide variety of genetic diversity in a population? That is, are the organisms closely related to each
other?) within each species
Inorganic (adj): not associated with living things
Organic (adj): originating or associated with living things
Food chain (n): a diagram that displays a “who-eats-who” relationship where one organism feeds
on one other organism or is preyed upon by one other organism
Food web (n): connects multiple food chains
Extinction (n): the irreversible loss of a species – extinct (adj)
Competition (n): the process by which organisms compete/fight for necessary resources
Species (n): organisms that can mate and produce offspring (children) that can survive and
reproduce
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH CYCLES
Photosynthesis (n): the process by which plants use carbon dioxide and sunlight to produce
glucose (sugar) and oxygen gas
Respiration (n): the process by which animals use oxygen and glucose to produce energy and
carbon dioxide
Nitrification (n): the process by which N2 gas is converted to nitrates and nitrites by bacteria or
lightening
Denitrification (n): the process by which nitrates and nitrites are converted to N2 gas by bacteria
Decomposition (n): the process by which organic materials are broken down into their original
molecules/elements and returned to the ecosystem – to decompose (v)
Nutrient: an essential chemical required for organisms to function (includes N, P)
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH DESCRIBING ENVIRONMENTS
Environment: an unspecific term that can be used to refer to a physical space
Biosphere: the collection of biomes that make up the entire environment of a planet
Biome: a geographical area linked by similar geography (ie. Mountains, boreal forests) and climate
(ie. Temperature, rainfall)
Ecosystem: all organisms that interact with each other and the environment that they interact within
and with
Habitat: a specific area within an ecosystem that is located by a species of organism
Niche: a specific location within a habitat/ecosystem that an organism survives and reproduces in
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH DESCRIBING ORGANISMS
Population (n): a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same ecosystem
Community (n): a group of organisms of different species that interact with each other in the same
ecosystem
Autotroph (n): an organism that produces their own energy from the sun or from inorganic
chemicals
Heterotroph (n): an organism that must eat other organisms to obtain their energy
Consumer (n): an organism that must eat other organisms to gain energy
Exotic species (n): an organism introduced into an ecosystem that is not where it is originally from
Trophic level (n): position of an organism in a food chain relative to the sun (ie. 1st trophic level –
plants – direct contact with sun to get energy)
Predator (n): an organism that hunts another organism
Prey (n): an organism that is hunted by another organism
Carnivore (n): organism that eats meat
Herbivore (n): organism that eats plants
Omnivore (n): organism that eats both meat and plants
Primary, secondary, tertiary consumer (n): first, second, and third organisms in a food chain that
is a consumer
Top carnivore (n): carnivore that is not preyed upon by another carnivore
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH POPULATION STUDIES
Limiting factor (n): an abiotic or biotic factor that prevents an organism from reaching its biotic
potential
Carrying capacity (n): the maximum number of organisms that a given ecosystem can support
(abbreviated by K)
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH SOIL STUDIES
Topsoil (n): the first layer of soil that is very dark and rich in nutrients
Humus (n): decaying plant and animal matter found in topsoil
Subsoil (n): the second layer of soil that is composed of a mixture of eroded rock and some organic
matter
Bedrock (n): the third layer of soil that is composed of rock and minerals
Percolation (n): the movement of water downwards due to gravity
Leaching (n): the removal of nutrients and minerals from the soil by water as it moves through the
soil, dissolving these substances and washing them away
Ground water(n): water found within the ground – makes up part of the water table that is a
saturated layer of water located above the bedrock
TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
Freshwater ecosystem terms
Littoral zone (n): area extending out from a shore to the point where rooted plants can no longer
be found
Limnetic zone (n): area of open water where there is enough light for photosynthesis to occur
Plankton (n): microscopic organisms (autotrophs and consumers) that act as basis for some
aquatic food chains
Profundal zone (n): region beneath limnetic zone where there is not enough light for
photosynthesis to occur
Oligotrophic lakes (n): deep, cold lakes
Eutrophic lakes (n): shallow, warm lakes
Marine ecosystem terms
Coastal zone (n): shallow water in a marine ecosystem from the high-tide mark on the land to the
edge of the continental shelf
Intertidal zone (n): defined by high and low tide
Estuary (n): meeting point where rivers and streams flow into ocean
Tidal marshes (n): located near oceans and are periodically flooded by high tides
SNC 2D1: STUDYING ECOLOGICAL TERMS
Name:
Date:
PART 1: USING TERMS
Using the terms in your definition list, fill in the blank for each statement.
1. The unit of science we are currently studying is called________________________________
2. All the frogs that live in a pond can be called a _______________________________
3. Wolves are a different _______________________________than foxes because they cannot mate with foxes
and produce babies.
4. An animal that eats another organism for energy is known as a _______________________________.
5. Polar bears are _______________________________because if global warning is not changed, and the ice
that they live on begins to disappear, they could become extinct.
6. Dead animals and plants are known as _______________________________
7. A _______________________________shows a “who eats who” relationship where one organism is only
eaten or eats one other one.
8. A _______________________________shows “who eats who” relationship where each organism eats or is
eaten by more than one other organism.
9. _______________________________ include fungi, bacteria and insects that break down detritus.
10. _______________________________is another word for heterotroph.
11. _______________________________is another word for producer.
12. Sunlight is an example of an _______________________________factor.
13. Where an organism lives is also known as a _______________________________.
14. If you are studying things that determine whether or not an organism survives, you are studying
_______________________________. These can be abiotic or biotic.
15. Babies or children of organisms are also known as _______________________________.
16. Organisms such as mosquitoes or rats are often known as _______________________________because they
cause problems for humans.
17. A ______________________________________________________________ is a consumer that always eats
meat – or other animals
18. A _______________________________is a consumer that always eats plants.
19. A _______________________________ranks organisms in a food chain according to their position relative to
the sun.
20. _______________________________ produce their own energy and don’t need to eat other living things for
energy.
21. _______________________________ are large areas that have the same climate and geography. For
example, a rainforest is a type of this.
22. Water, shelter, food are examples of_______________________________. They are things organisms need
to survive.
23. Things that come from living things are described as being _______________________________
24. Things that do not come from living things are described as being _______________________________
25. _______________________________ is the process by which plants turn sunlight into energy.
26. Organisms that eat both plants and animals are known as _______________________________
27. An organism that is close to being extinct is known _______________________________
28. A jungle includes trees, jaguars, ferns, monkeys, and mice. All of these organisms form the
_______________________________ of this jungle.
29. Animals that only eat meat are called _______________________________
30. Any living thing including plants and animals is known as an _______________________________