Key Vocabulary Organism An individual living thing, such as a plant, an animal, or a fungus. Environment All the things that have an influence on an organism, both living (other organisms), and non-living (water, soil, climate, etc.). Ecology The study of the interrelationships between plants and animals and their environment. Species A group of organisms that can reproduce with each other. Population A species that lives in the same area. Community A number of populations of plants and animals that live and interact with one another in a specific area with similar environmental conditions. Habitat A place that has all the requirements a living thing needs to survive and reproduce; an organism's home. Niche An organism's job in its community (i.e. decomposer, scavenger, predator, and prey, etc.). Biodiversity The variety of different species in a habitat or area. Water cycle The continuous circulation of water in systems throughout the planet, involving condensation, precipitation, runoff, evaporation and transpiration. Also known as the hydrologic cycle. Watershed The area of land draining into a river, lake, or other body of water. Wetlands Areas of land that are occasionally or consistently under a shallow layer of salt or fresh water. Bogs, marshes and swamps are wetlands. Riparian An area along a river, lake shore, or other body of water. Succession The changes that occur within an area over time. For example, forest succession is the progression of different trees and undergrowth in a forest. Coniferous Trees and shrubs that have needles and reproduce with cones. A Douglas fir is a coniferous tree. Evergreen A plant that retains its needles or leaves all year round. Usually coniferous. A Douglas fir is an evergreen. Deciduous Trees and shrubs that have leaves that drop in the fall. A Big Leaf Maple is a deciduous tree. Predator An animal that kills other animals for food. Wolves are predators. Prey Animals that are hunted or caught as food. Deer are prey. Herbivore An animal that eats only plants. A deer is an herbivore. Carnivore An animal that eats only meat. A cougar is a carnivore. Omnivore An animal that eats both plants and meat. Humans and bears are omnivores. Decomposer Plants and animals that eat and break down dead plants or animals. Fungus and millipedes are decomposers. Scavenger Animals that eat already dead or decaying animal or plant life. Vultures are scavengers. |