Glossary of ecology

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A Glossary of Ecology provides definitions and explanations of terms and concepts used in the field of ecology. Ecology itself is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and their environments. This glossary aims to clarify terms that are frequently used in ecological research, education, and discussions.

A

• Abiotic factor - A non-living chemical or physical part of the environment that affects living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems. Examples include sunlight, temperature, wind patterns, and geology.
• Autotroph - Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances using light or chemical energy. Plants, algae, and some bacteria are autotrophs.

B

• Biodiversity - The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems.
• Biome - A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region defined by its climate and dominant vegetation. Examples include forests, deserts, and tundras.

C

• Carnivore - An organism that eats mostly meat, or the flesh of animals. Examples include lions and hawks.
• Carrying capacity - The maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment.
• Community - All the organisms that inhabit a particular area, interacting with each other within a specific environment.

D

• Decomposer - Organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms, and in doing so, they carry out the natural process of decomposition. Examples include fungi and bacteria.

E

• Ecosystem - A community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment, interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows.
• Endemic - A species that is native to a particular geographical area and is not naturally found elsewhere.

F

• Food chain - A linear network of links in a food web starting from producer organisms (such as grass or trees) and ending at apex predator species (like grizzly bears or killer whales), detritivores, or decomposer species.

G

• Greenhouse effect - A process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere.

H

• Habitat - The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

I

• Invasive species - Species that are not native to a specific location; an invasive species can cause damage to the environment, human economy or human health.

N

• Niche - The role or function of an organism or species within an ecosystem, including what it eats, how it behaves, and how it interacts with other organisms.

P

• Photosynthesis - The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.

R

• Recycling - The process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects, which can prevent waste of potentially useful materials.

S

• Symbiosis - A close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic.

T

• Trophic level - The position that an organism occupies in a food chain - what it eats, and what eats it.

Z

• Zooplankton - Small and often microscopic animals that live in aquatic environments, both saltwater and freshwater.