- Ecology- study of interactions between organisms and environment
- Biotic factors- living; examples include animals, plants, fungi, YOU
- Abiotic factors-non-living..examples include water, rocks, SUN, temperature
- Environment- the conditions that surround someone or something
- Organism-a single living thing; a mouse
- Species- similar organisms that can mate/reproduce fertile offspring (able to reproduce)
- Population- all individuals of one species within an ecosystem; all mice in a field
- Community- all living things within an ecosystem; all mice, owls, snakes in a field
- Ecosystem- A community and its nonliving surroundings; the animals in the field and its soils, rocks, air, water, temperature
- Biome- A large area of similar ecosystems; tropical rainforest, tundra, desert
- Biosphere- all areas of Earth that support life; Earth
- Interdependence- depending on or needing each other
- Niche- the way an organism uses the abiotic and biotic resources within the ecosystem; its role or job