Ecology is the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.
Concept Clusters:
Levels of Organization
organism population community ecosystem Cycles of Matter hydrologic cycle carbon cycle nitrogen cycle nitrogen fixation Succession primary succession secondary succession pioneer species natural disturbance human activities |
Biotic Interactions
competition predation symbiosis mutualism commensalism parasitism Limiting Factors food shelter water space disease parasitism/predation nesting sites weather |
Energy Transfer
food chain food web trophic levels producer consumer primary consumer secondary consumer tertiary consumer decomposer |