Grade 9 Academic Science
ECOLOGY – DEFINITIONS #1
The following terms are definitions from the ECOLOGY unit. You are asked to match the definition with
the term AND write a sentence that uses the term in context to demonstrate your understanding of the
term. All terms are found in the textbook Science: Perspectives 9 on pages 24-152.
Match the term to the definition AND use the term in a sentence that shows its meaning. Use your
textbook to find the terms and their definitions.
Example
TERM
Competition
TERM
DEFINITION
Two individuals seek the same
resource
YOUR
ANSWER
EXAMPLE IN A SENTENCE
Foxes and coyotes BOTH fed on a common prey
such as a rabbit. They COMPETE for the prey.
DEFINITION
Carnivore
1. No longer exists on
Earth
Habitat
2. All the living organisms,
from all the populations,
that live in the same
ecosystem
Abiotic Factors
3. Organism that obtains
its energy by consuming
other organisms
Food Chain
4. Organism that makes its
own energy-rich food
using the Sun’s energy
Limiting Factor
5. The range of abiotic
conditions within which
a species can survive
Biodiversity
6. Two individuals benefit
from each other
Community
7. A place where an
organism lives
Mutualism
8. Variety of species in an
ecosystem
Invasive
Species
9. Feeding relationships
among species in an
ecosystem
Bioaccumulation
10. Concentration of a
substance, such as a
pesticide, in the body of
an organism
Producer
11. Non-living
characteristics of an
ecosystem
Secondary
Consumer
12. A non-native species
that has a negative
impact on the natural
environment
Carrying
Capacity
13. A carnivore that preys
on primary consumers
Extinct
14. Any factor that restricts
the size of a population
or where it can live
Tolerance
Range
15. Maximum population
size of a species that a
given ecosystem can
sustain
EXAMPLE IN A SENTENCE
Grade 9 Academic Science
ECOLOGY – Definitions 1 - Answers
ANSWERS
TERM
YOUR
ANSWER
DEFINITION
Carnivore
3
1. No longer exists on
Earth
Habitat
7
2. All the living organisms,
from all the populations,
that live in the same
ecosystem
Abiotic Factors
11
3. Organism that obtains
its energy by consuming
other organisms
Food Chain
9
4. Organism that makes its
own energy-rich food
using the Sun’s energy
Limiting Factor
14
5. The range of abiotic
conditions within which
a species can survive
Biodiversity
8
6. Two individuals benefit
from each other
Community
2
7. A place where an
organism lives
Mutualism
6
8. Variety of species in an
ecosystem
Invasive
Species
12
9. Feeding relationships
among species in an
ecosystem
Bioaccumulation
10
10. Concentration of a
substance, such as a
pesticide, in the body of
an organism
Producer
4
11. Non-living
characteristics of an
ecosystem
Secondary
Consumer
13
12. A non-native species
that has a negative
impact on the natural
environment
Carrying
Capacity
15
13. A carnivore that preys
on primary consumers
Extinct
1
14. Any factor that restricts
the size of a population
or where it can live
Tolerance
Range
5
15. Maximum population
size of a species that a
given ecosystem can
sustain
EXAMPLE IN A SENTENCE
Grade 9 Academic Science - Biology
Ecology – Definitions #2
The following assignment is listing of ECOLOGY definitions. This information will help you prepare for the
exam.
The following terms are definitions from the ECOLOGY unit. You are asked to match the definition with
the term AND write a sentence that uses the term in context to demonstrate your understanding of the
term. All terms are found in the textbook Science: Perspectives 9 on pages 24-152.
Term
Your
Answer
Definition
Atmosphere
1. Living things, their remains and the
features (e.g., nests) associated with
their behaviour
Population
2. All the living organisms in an area
and their non-living environment
Biotic Factors
3. The series of processes that moves
water through the environment
Sustainable
Ecosystem
4. The process in which the Sun’s
energy is converted into chemical
energy
Photosynthesis
5. The thin layer of gases that
surrounds the Earth
Biosphere
6. A representation of the feeding
relationships within a community
Lithosphere
7. The zone in, on and around the
Earth were life can exist
Food Web
8. Energy that travels through empty
space
Ecological
Niche
9. All the members of the same species
that live in the same ecosystem
Water Cycle
10. The process by which sugar and
oxygen are converted into carbon
dioxide, water and energy to provide
energy for the cell
Cellular
Respiration
11. The non-living characteristics of an
ecosystem
Ecosystem
12. The function a species serves in its
ecosystem including where it lives,
what it eats and how it behaves
Abiotic Factors
13. An ecosystem that maintains
relatively constant biotic and abiotic
features forever
Hydrosphere
14. Rocky outer shell of the Earth
Radiant
Energy
15. The water on, above and below the
Earth’s surface. It includes oceans,
lakes, groundwater, rivers, streams,
ice, clouds and water vapour in the
sky
Your Sentence
ECOLOGY DEFINITIONS #2
ANSWERS
All terms are found in the textbook Science: Perspectives 9.
Term
Your
Answer
Definition
Atmosphere
5
1. Living things, their remains and the
features (e.g., nests) associated with
their behaviour
Population
9
2. All the living organisms in an area
and their non-living environment
Biotic Factors
1
3. The series of processes that moves
water through the environment
Sustainable
Ecosystem
13
4. The process in which the Sun’s
energy is converted into chemical
energy
Photosynthesis
4
5. The thin layer of gases that
surrounds the Earth
Biosphere
7
6. A representation of the feeding
relationships within a community
Lithosphere
14
7. The zone in, on and around the
Earth were life can exist
Food Web
6
8. Energy that travels through empty
space
Ecological
Niche
12
9. All the members of the same species
that live in the same ecosystem
Water Cycle
3
10. The process by which sugar and
oxygen are converted into carbon
dioxide, water and energy to provide
energy for the cell
Cellular
Respiration
10
11. The non-living characteristics of an
ecosystem
Ecosystem
2
12. The function a species serves in its
ecosystem including where it lives,
what it eats and how it behaves
Abiotic Factors
11
13. An ecosystem that maintains
relatively constant biotic and abiotic
features forever
Hydrosphere
15
14. Rocky outer shell of the Earth
Radiant
Energy
8
15. The water on, above and below the
Earth’s surface. It includes oceans,
lakes, groundwater, rivers, streams,
ice, clouds and water vapour in the
sky
Your Sentence
Grade 9 Academic Science - Biology
Ecology – Definitions #3
The following assignment is listing of ECOLOGY definitions. This information will help you prepare for the
exam.
The following terms are definitions from the ECOLOGY unit. You are asked to match the definition with
the term AND write a sentence that uses the term in context to demonstrate your understanding of the
term. All terms are found in the textbook Science: Perspectives 9 on pages 24-152.
Term
Your
Answer
Definition
Succession
1. One individual feeds on another
Competition
2. The land area drained by a particular
river or lake; also called a drainage
basin
Watershed
3. No longer existing on Earth
Biodiversity
4. Likely to become endangered if no
action is taken
Extinct
5. The state of an ecosystem in which
the biotic and abiotic features remain
relatively constant over a long period
of time
Parasitism
6. The variety of species in an
ecosystem
Commensalism
7. One individual benefits and the other
neither benefits nor is harmed
Extirpated
8. The series of processes that moves
carbon compounds throughout the
lithosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere and biosphere
Biogeochemical
Cycles
9. No longer exists in the wild in a
specific area
Threatened
10. The observed changes over time in
an ecosystem following a
disturbance
Carbon Cycle
11. Two individuals seek the same
resource
Predation
12. Large geographical regions defined
by climate with a set of specific biotic
and abiotic features
Endangered
13. Movement of matter through the
biotic and abiotic parts of the
environment
Equilibrium
14. In immediate danger of becoming
extirpated or extinct
Biome
15. One individual lives on or in a host
organism and feeds on it
Your Sentence
Ecology – Definitions #3
ANSWERS
All terms are found in the textbook Science: Perspectives 9 on pages 22-165.
Term
Your
Answer
Definition
Succession
10
1. One individual feeds on another
Competition
11
2. The land area drained by a particular
river or lake; also called a drainage
basin
Watershed
2
3. No longer existing on Earth
Biodiversity
6
4. Likely to become endangered if no
action is taken
Extinct
3
5. The state of an ecosystem in which
the biotic and abiotic features remain
relatively constant over a long period
of time
Parasitism
15
6. The variety of species in an
ecosystem
Commensalism
7
7. One individual benefits and the other
neither benefits nor is harmed
Extirpated
9
8. The series of processes that moves
carbon compounds throughout the
lithosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere and biosphere
Biogeochemical
Cycles
13
9. No longer exists in the wild in a
specific area
Threatened
4
10. The observed changes over time in
an ecosystem following a
disturbance
Carbon Cycle
8
11. Two individuals seek the same
resource
Predation
1
12. Large geographical regions defined
by climate with a set of specific biotic
and abiotic features
Endangered
14
13. Movement of matter through the
biotic and abiotic parts of the
environment
Equilibrium
5
14. In immediate danger of becoming
extirpated or extinct
Biome
12
15. One individual lives on or in a host
organism and feeds on it
Your Sentence