Radience

Ecosystems and Communities

Science

carnivore

an animal that only eats other animals
carnivore Simple Definition

commensalism

a relationship where one species benefits but the other is neither helped nor harmed
commensalism Simple Definition

community

populations that live in the same habitat
community Simple Definition

competition

the struggle between two or more living things for the same limited resource
competition 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

energy pyramid

the diagram of energy loss through a food chain
energy pyramid 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

herbivore

an animal that eats only plants
herbivore Simple Definition

mutualism

a symbiotic relationship between two species in which both benefit
mutualism Simple Definition

niche

the role an animal or plant plays in its habitat
niche Simple Definition

omnivore

can eat both plants and animals
omnivore Simple Definition

parasitism

a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed
parasitism Simple Definition

population

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

population density

the number of individuals per unit of area
population density 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

succession

the gradual changes to communities in an ecosystem
succession Simple Definition

symbiosis

the close relationship between organisms of different species
symbiosis Simple Definition

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