Key Terms

Ecology: The study of households and how living things interact with each other and their environment

Ecosystem: An system with all the necessary components for long-term function, survival, and interaction of a community of organisms

Biotic Factor: living components of an ecosystem

Abiotic Factor: non-living components of an ecosystem

Niche: the role that a species plays within its ecosystem

Diversity: The number of different species in an ecosystem

Community: All organisms of various species that share an ecosystem.

Competition: If resources are limited, species will struggle for the same niche.

Habitat: Environment with conditions suitable for the survival of an organism and thus where the species will live

Homeostasis: (or internal equilibrium) when the systems properties remain stable and relatively constant

Keystone Species: A species whose influence on community structure is greater than its abundance would suggest – the most important species within an ecosystem (have some sort of controlling influence over the system even though they may not be dominants)

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