Ecology Vocab

Denitrification

The final step of the Nitrogen cycle, the process of converting Nitrates in the ground into Atmospheric Nitrogen

Global Climate Change

Shifts and changes in temperatures or weather around the world, or globe in this case

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationship where all organisms involved benefit

Chloroflorocarbons

A formerly used gas in stuff like sprays or air conditioners, It contributed to Ozone depletion and Global Climate Change

Parasitism

Symbiotic relationship where all one organism (Parasite) benefits by negatively effecting another organism (Host)

Carrying Capacity

The max amount of something whether it be biotic or abiotic factor a ecosystem can handle without being degraded

Exponential Growth

Growth over time without any restriction, will continue to grow over time

Sustainability

How well something can be maintained or kept stable and working

Commensalism

Symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits and another organism is unaffected

Limiting Factor

A factor which stops something from exponentially growing, predators or food would be limited factors

Bioaccumulation

The collection and build up of chemicals in biotic organisms over time and over generations

Eutrophication

The process a body of water experiences once it accumulates many nutrients in certain spots, algae blooms spawn due to the nutrients then die and lastly decay causing less oxygen in the water, dead zones and dead fish

Taxis

A movement reaction of an organism in response to in stimulus

Estivation

The opposite of Hibernation, the process of an animal slowing down their bodily processes and laying dormant due to hot and dry weather conditions

Habituation

An adaptation of organisms, Habituation is the lack of reacting to a stimulus

Imprinting

An adaptation of organisms, Imprinting is the process of an organism forming a bond or connection with certain things

Classical Conditioning

A learning process where an organism learns to associate a stimulus with a specific response

Trial and Error Learning

A learning process where an organism learn through repeatedly trying, failing and eventually success

Innate

Something naturally had to begin with, not obtained

Adaptation

A process or trait that changes in a organism in order for them to fit into or have a better time surviving in their ecosystem

Predator

Organism that hunts, kills and eats other animals (Prey)

Prey

Organism that is hunted, killed and eaten by other animals (Predator)