Ecology Vocab Crossword

the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems.
the living components of an ecosystem. They are sorted into three groups: producers or autotrophs, consumers or heterotrophs, and decomposers
the number of organisms of the same species that live in a particular area
an interacting group of various species in a common location
A system that includes all living organisms (biotic factors) in an area as well as its physical environment (abiotic factors) functioning together as a unit.
the regions of the surface and atmosphere of the Earth
a measure of the number of organisms that make up a population in a defined area.
environmental conditions that limit the growth of an organism or a population of organisms in an ecosystem
a close relationship between two different kinds of organisms, or living things. There are three basic types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
the part of the environment into which a species fits, and to which it is adapted.
the home of an animal or a plant
shows how each living thing gets food, and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature.
chains linked together to show the feeding relationships of organisms in an ecosystem.
the sequence through which water evaporates into the atmosphere in the form of water vapor; it condenses forming liquid or solid precipitation that falls to the ground where it is collected in water bodies or underground aquifers to start the cycle over again.