Ch. 5 vocab

the fundamental role an organism has in its surroundings (everything that affects the organism and everything the organism affects)

everything that affects an organism during its lifetime (abiotic and biotic)

extreme levels of a limiting factor within which an organism can still survive ex.) temperature, dissolved oxygen in water, etc. **larger the range of tolerance, the more successful the organism is

space where an organisms inhabits, the place where it lives ex.) climate, soil condition, water availability, other species in the area

process that determines which individuals within a species will reproduce and pass their genes to the next generation **survival of the fittest

key factor (either biotic or abiotic) that restricts the success of the species ex.) water, shelter, food, climate, etc.

a population of organisms capable of reproducing among themselves and having offspring that can also reproduce

the genetic and characteristic changes seen in species over long periods of time and many generations **driven by natural selection

production of new species from previously existing species (usually occurs when population is divided into 2 subpopulations and are isolated from each other)

an organism that captures and eats another organism

an organism that is hunted and eaten by another organism for food

interaction in which two organisms strive to obtain the same limited resource

random change in the genetic information in an individual

the loss of an entire species (very common, 99.9% of all organisms have experienced extinction)

community of organisms and the abiotic environment within which they exist

passing of energy from one organism to the next through trophic levels

several food chains overlapping and intersecting

an organism that consumes other organisms

a close, long-lasting relationship between two different species (at least one species derives benefit from the interaction)

an organism that consumes plants

symbiotic relationship between two organisms in which both organisms benefit ex.) bee and flower

relationship in which one organism benefits while the other is not affected ex.) remoras and sharks

an organism that eats both plants and animals

cycle of the critical element nitrogen through the biotic and abiotic environment