Big Idea 4

3. Biomes (2 photos)

forest biome

   1) Forest Biome - A biome is a major regional community characterized by the plant and animals that live there as well as the climate. The biome shown here is the forest biome characterized by its coniferous trees.

grassland biome

   2) Grassland Biome - A biome is a major regional community characterized by the plant and animals that live there as well as the climate. The biome shown here is the grassland biome characterized by the various grasses living in it.

competition

6. Competition - Competition is the interaction between different organisms, usually where the present of one inhibits the ability of the other to grow to its full ability. It usually consists of competition for resources, where two organisms both try to use the same resource. In this picture, the oak tree is competing with the grass for the same resources.

detritivore

7. Detritivore - Detritivores are decomposer heterotrophs that obtain nutrition by consuming and breaking down old plant and animal parts as well as feces. The mushroom pictured here is an example of a detritivore because it breaks down dead organic material to get nutrients.

endosperm

8. Endosperm - Endosperm is the tissue inside of seeds that provides nutrition for the embryo in the form of starch. The seeds pictured here have such tissue inside them.

introduced species

9. Introduced Species - An introduced species is a species of animal which has been brought to a certain area from a different area, and is not native to the place it is living. These are usually introduced to an area by humans. The black moor goldfish shown here is an example of a fish introduced to North America from Asia.

parasitism

14. Parasitism - Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is harmed. The mosquito pictured is a parasite because it takes an organisms blood for nutrients which benefits the mosquito, and in the process causes a loss of blood and possible transmission of disease for the host, thus harming it.

pioneer species

17. Pioneer Species - A pioneer species usually a plant that is the first species to move into a damaged or altered ecosystem, possibly in this form because of a forest fire or other natural disaster. The raspberry plant shown here is a common example of a pioneer species because it is often first to move in after an ecosystem is greatly altered.

predation

19. Predation - Predation is when a predator, or an animal that is attacking, feeds on its prey, or the animal that was attacked and is now being eaten. In this picture, a caterpillar or some other herbivore (predator) has fed on the leaves of this bush (prey).

r-strategist

20. r-strategist - An r-strategist is a smaller organism with a shorter gestation time and shorter life span. They produce many offspring and invest little parental care in them until they mature. The snake pictured is an r-strategist because it does not care for its young and its life span is on the shorter side.