Radience

Ecosystems and Resources

Science

abiotic factor

a nonliving part of the environment, like water, light or temperature
abiotic factor Simple Definition

biomass

total mass of all living matter in a given area
biomass Simple Definition

biome

large areas with similar climates, plants, and animals, like a tundra, taiga or desert
biome Simple Definition

biotic factor

a living factor in the environment, like plants or animals
biotic factor Simple Definition

carnivore

an animal that only eats other animals
carnivore Simple Definition

carrying capacity

the largest population that an environment can support
carrying capacity Simple Definition

chaparral

a shrubland with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, it is also known as Mediterranean shrubland
chaparral Simple Definition

community

populations that live in the same habitat
community Simple Definition

consumer

unlike a plant, cannot make its own food, instead it eats other living things
consumer Simple Definition

decomposer

an organism that breaks down dead organisms and waste, like fungi or bacteria
decomposer Simple Definition

desert

a biome with very little rainfall or plant life
desert Simple Definition

ecosystem

all the living and nonliving things interacting in an area
ecosystem Simple Definition

energy pyramid

the diagram of energy loss through a food chain
energy pyramid Simple Definition

estuary

an area where fresh river water mixes with salty ocean water
estuary Simple Definition

food chain

the food energy transfer between organisms in an ecosystem
food chain Simple Definition

food web

a model of overlapping food chains in an ecosystem
food web Simple Definition

habitat

the place where an organism lives
habitat Simple Definition

herbivore

an animal that eats only plants
herbivore Simple Definition

omnivore

can eat both plants and animals
omnivore Simple Definition

photosynthesis

the process by which plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to make food
photosynthesis Simple Definition

pioneer species

the first species to populate an area
pioneer species Simple Definition

population

all the organisms of the same species living in the same area
population Simple Definition

predator

an animal that hunts and eats other animals
predator Simple Definition

prey

an animal hunted and eaten by a predator
prey Simple Definition

producer

organism that can make its own food, like all plants
producer Simple Definition

scavenger

an organism that feeds on animals that are already dead
scavenger Simple Definition

tundra

a treeless biome with long cold winters and short cool summers
tundra Simple Definition

wetland

an area of land that is periodically underwater
wetland Simple Definition

Related Chapters