ECOLOGY

4.1 species, communities and ecosystems:

Species: groups of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring

Population: Members of a species may be reproductively isolated in separate groups

Community: is formed by populations of different species living together and interacting with
each other

Ecosystem: A community forms an ecosystem by its interactions with the abiotic

environment

Habitat: the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

Biotic factor: a living thing, as an animal or plant, that influences or affects an ecosystem

Abiotic factor: a nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat, that influences or affects
an ecosystem and the organisms in it

Autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition:

Autrophic nutrition is meant that some organisms make their own carbon compounds
from carbon dioxide and other simple substances, it means self-feeding

Heterotrophic is meant that some organisms obtain their carbon compounds from other
organisms

Type of Definition Type of Examples

heterotroph digestion
(internal or
external)

Consumer Feed off other organisms Internal Paramecium

Detritivore Obtain organic nutrients Internal Earthworms

from detritus by internal
digestion

Saprotroph Heterotrophs that obtain External Bacteria and

organic nutrients from fungi
dead organic matter by
external digestion
4.2 Climate change

Greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide and vapour are the most significant greenhouse
gasses.