生态相关

WordDefinitionTopicagriculturethe use of land for growing crops and raising lifestockLiving things in their environmentaquaculturecommercial cultivation of fish and shellfish for foodLiving things in their environmentarableland for growing cropsLiving things in their environmentbiodiversityvariety in and between organisms, species and ecosystemsLiving things in their environmentbiological pest controlthe introduction of natural predators to combat pests in farmingLiving things in their environmentbiomassthe total weight of living organisms within a habitat or food chainLiving things in their environmentbiomesmajor world communities of plant and animal lifeLiving things in their environmentbiospherethe earth's landmasses, oceans and atmosphere, and all the animals, plants, insects, birds and micro-organisms living in themLiving things in their environmentcamouflagecolouring or patterning which makes an organism blend in with their environmentLiving things in their environmentcarbohydratefood belonging to the group consisting of sugars, starch and cellulose. They are vital for energy in humans and will be stored as fats if eaten in excess. In plants, carbohydrates are important for photosynthesis.Living things in their environmentcarbonchemical element found in all living thingsLiving things in their environmentcarbon cyclethe way through which carbon is recycled through the processes of respiration, photsynthesis and decomposition.Living things in their environmentcarnivorean animal which feeds only on other animalsLiving things in their environmentcarnivoresanimals who feed only on other animalsLiving things in their environmentcellulosea carbohydrate which forms the cell wall in plant cellsLiving things in their environmentcommunitypopulations of different organisms living together in a habitatLiving things in their environmentconsumerorganisms that get their energy by eating either green plants or other consumers. Primary consumers feed on plant material and secondary consumers feed primarily on animal materialLiving things in their environmentconsumersorganisms that get their energy by eating either green plants or other consumers. Primary consumers feed on plant material and secondary consumers feed primarily on animal materialLiving things in their environmentcoral reefslimestone formations found in tropical waters, made largely from living organisims (stony corals)Living things in their environmentcrop-rotationa method used in farming where crops are rotated to different fields each year to maintain the nutrients in the soilLiving things in their environmentdecomposeran organism which eats dead organisms or animal droppings and breaks them down into simple materials.Living things in their environmentdecomposersorganisms that feed on and break down dead matterLiving things in their environmentdeforestationthe process of cutting down a large number of trees in a forest and not replacing themLiving things in their environmenteco-agricultureanother name for organic farmingLiving things in their environmentecologythe study of living things within their environmentLiving things in their environmentecosystema community of animals, plants and micro-organisms, together with the habitat where they liveLiving things in their environmentecosystemscommunities of animals, plants and micro-organisms, together with the habitats where they liveLiving things in their environmentegestiongestting rid of undigested material from the bodyLiving things in their environmentelementa substance consisting of one kind of atom onlyLiving things in their environmenteutrophication'hyper-nutrition' resulting from fertiliser pollution of aquatic ecosystems. Results in oxygen depletion and reduced ability to support lifeLiving things in their environmentexcreteddischarged as wasteLiving things in their environmentexcretionremoval of metabolic waste from the bodyLiving things in their environmentfatsone of the three main food groups, fats include butter, cheese and oils. Fats are used for energy and insulationLiving things in their environmentfeeding relationshiprelationships between organisms which are fed upon and organisms who feed upon them. Feeding relationships can be shown in food chains or food webs.Living things in their environmentfertilisersnutrients applied to crops to speed up growthLiving things in their environmentfood chain(diagram of) a sequence of feeding relationships between organisms, showing who eats what and the movement of energy through trophic levelsLiving things in their environmentfood chains(diagrams of) sequences of feeding relationships between organisms, showing who eats what and the movement of energy through trophic levelsLiving things in their environmentfood web(diagram of) a network of feeding relationships between organisms in a communityLiving things in their environmentfossilisedhardened into a fossilLiving things in their environmentglobal warminggradual increase in average temperature - the result of the greenhouse effectLiving things in their environmentgreenhouse effectgradual increase in global temperature, the result of increased emissions of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. The cause of global warmingLiving things in their environmentgreenhouse gasesthe gases responsible for the global warming - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and CFCsLiving things in their environmenthabitata place where plants, animals and micro-organisms liveLiving things in their environmenthabitatsplaces inhabited by communities of living thingsLiving things in their environmentherbivorean animal which feeds only on plantsLiving things in their environmentherbivoresanimals who feed only on plantsLiving things in their environmentHorticulturethe growing of garden plants; the cultivation of fruit and vegetablesLiving things in their environmentintensive farminga type of farming that utilises high levels of input (machinery and the use of chemical fertilizers and sprays) to return maximum yieldsLiving things in their environmentmonoculturesthe cultivation of a single crop within a farm or particular areaLiving things in their environmentnicheparticular place or role occupied by an organism within an ecological communityLiving things in their environmentnitrogena colourless and odorless gas that makes up around 79% of the atmosphere. Nitrogenous waste leaves the body in the form of urea in urine.Living things in their environmentnon-biodegradablecannot be broken down by decomposersLiving things in their environmentnuclear wasteradioactive waste produced from nuclear power stations, nuclear weapons manufacture or nuclear reactorsLiving things in their environmentomnivorean animal which feeds on both plants and animalsLiving things in their environmentorganismsliving entities - ie animals, plants or micro-organismsLiving things in their environmentpesticideschemicals used to kill insects, weeds and micro-organisms that might damage cropsLiving things in their environmentpollutioncontamination of the environment, usually by chemicalsLiving things in their environmentpopulationsmembers of a single species living in a habitatLiving things in their environmentpredatoranimal that hunts, kills and eats other animals for foodLiving things in their environmentpredatorsanimals that hunt, kill and eat other animals for foodLiving things in their environmentpreyorganisms that predators kill for foodLiving things in their environmentproduceran organism which can make its own food - ie a green plantLiving things in their environmentpyramid of biomassa diagram to illustrate the amount of biological material within a food chain or webLiving things in their environmentpyramid of numbersa diagram to illustrate the number of organisms within a food chain or webLiving things in their environmentrespirationchemical change that takes place inside living cells, which uses glucose and oxygen to produce the energy organisms need to live. Carbon dioxide is a by-product of respirationLiving things in their environmentscavengersanimals that feed on dead animals or decaying matterLiving things in their environmentselective breedingthe breeding of plants or animals that have desirable characteristicsLiving things in their environmentsustainableactivity which does not use up or destroy resources or the environment, so that it can continue to be done in the futureLiving things in their environmentsymbiosisa relationship between two different organisms which co-exist and in some cases help each other to surviveLiving things in their environmenttoxinsa type of natural poison produced by an organism, often as a form of protectionLiving things in their environmenttoxicitydegree of harmfulnessLiving things in their environmenttrophic levelfeeding levels of a food chainLiving things in their environmenttropical rainforestdense tropical equatorial woodlandLiving things in their environmentunsustainabilityan activity which uses up resources or damages the environment so that it cannot be continued in the futureLiving things in their environmentUrbanisationthe growth of towns and cities and associated movement of populations into themLiving things in their environment