chapter 6

area where an organism lives including the biotic and abiotic factors that affect it

ability of an organism to survive and reproduce under circumstances that differ from their optimal conditions

full range of physical and biological conditions in which an organism lives and the way in which the organism uses those conditions

any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food, or space

principle that states that no two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat at the same time

single species that is not usually abundant in a community yet exerts strong control on the structure of a community

relationship in which two species live close together

symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed

symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit from the relationship

symbiotic relationship in which one organism lives on or inside another organism and harms it

series of gradual changes that occur in a community following a disturbance

succession that occurs in an area in which no trace of a previous community is present

first species to populate an area during succession

type of succession that occurs in an area that was only partially destroyed by disturbances

the total of the variety of organisms in the biosphere; also called biological diversity

variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere

number of different species that makes up a particular area

sum total of all the different forms of genetic information carried by a particular species, or by all organisms on Earth

the ability to recover after a disturbance; the ability to deal with change and move on

the benefits for humans that are provided by healthy ecosystems