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Flashcards: Part 1 Science
What is Ecology?
Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and their environment.
Organism
A single living thing (e.g., a deer).
Population
A group of the same species living together (e.g., a herd of deer).
Community
Different species living in the same area (e.g., deer, rabbits, and trees).
Ecosystem
All living things (plants, animals) and non-living things (air, water, soil) in an area.
Biosphere
The part of Earth where all life exists.
Producers (Plants)
Make their own food using sunlight.
Consumers (Animals)
Eat other organisms for energy.
Herbivores
Eat plants (e.g., deer).
Carnivores
Eat animals (e.g., wolves).
Omnivores
Eat both plants and animals (e.g., bears).
Decomposers (Fungi, Bacteria)
Break down dead plants and animals.
Food Chain
A simple way to show energy flow (e.g., grass → rabbit → fox).
Food Web
Many food chains connected together.
Water Cycle
Water moves through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon moves between air, plants, animals, and back into the air.
Nitrogen Cycle
Bacteria help turn nitrogen into a form plants can use.
Weather
Short-term conditions (e.g., rain today).
Climate
Long-term weather patterns (e.g., deserts are always dry).
Migration
Some animals move to different areas based on seasons, food availability, or breeding needs.
Natural Selection
Organisms with helpful traits survive and pass them to their offspring.
Structural
Physical traits (e.g., thick fur on polar bears).
Behavioral
Actions (e.g., birds flying south for winter).
Physiological
Internal changes (e.g., snakes producing venom).