Chapter+19

ecology - the study of the relationship between organisms and their environment greenhouse effect - warming of the Earth due to the insulation effect of gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor biosphere - the area on and around the Earth where life exists ecosystem - all the biotic and abiotic components of an environment community - all the populations in one area population - all the members of a species that live in the same area and make up a breeding group **Section 2** habitat - the physical area in which an organism lives biotic factors - the living components of an ecosystem abiotic factors - any nonliving components of an ecosystem tolerance curve - a graph of an organism's tolerance to a range of an environmental variable acclimation - the process of an organism's adjustment to an abiotic factor conformer - an organism that does not regulate its internal environment regulators - an organism that uses energy to control its internal environment dormancy - a state of decreased metabolism migration - to move to another, more favorable habitat resources - the energy and materials that a species needs niche - the way of life of a species fundamental niche - the full range of conditions that a species can tolerate an resources it can use realized niche - a range of resources and conditions a species actually uses or can tolerate at optimal efficiency; smaller than fundamental niche generalists - a species with a broad niche that can tolerate a wide range of conditions and can use a variety of resources specialists -a species with a narrow niche that can tolerate a narrow range of conditions and can use only a few specific resources
 * Section 1**