big idea 4

7) detritovore: a detritovore is an organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal materials, which returns nutrients to the ecosystem. This picture of a meal worm, demonstrates a detritovore, because it feeds on decaying matter.

8) endosperm: an endosperm is a tissue in a seed of flowering plants that gives the embryo of the seed nutrients. This flowering shrub features an endosperm in it, to nourish the inside embryo.

9) introduced species:  an introduced species is a species that is living outside its' native range. Human activity usually brings introduced species to foreign lands. This palm tree, a native to Hawaii is an introduced species to California.

11) K-Strategist: a k-strategist species are species that produce a low number of offspring, but takes great care of them, almost ensuring their survival. K-strategist species often live in an environment nearing a carrying capacity. K strategists produce offspring later in life. K-strategist prefer "quality of quantity." This oak tree is an k-strategist, because it doesn't produce much offspring, but the offspring that is produced, almost always survives, and the oak tree doesn't reproduce until later in life.

14) parasitism: parasitism is an interaction between two organisms in which one organism benefits by the relationship, while the other one is harmed. This picture of a mosquito bite demonstrates a parasitic relation ship because the mosquito gets its' blood and needs met, while the host is left with a itchy mosquito bite, and/or a disease.

16) 3 organisms on different levels of the same food chain: organisms on different levels of the same food chain, prey on each other.  In this diagram, a cat eats a bird, which eats a worm. In this diagram, the worm is the primary consumer (eating pretty much anything), followed by the bird, which is the secondary consumer. The bird is then followed by the cat, the tertiary consumer.

17) pioneer species: pioneer species are species that are the first to colonize a previously damaged ecosystem. Lichen (in the picture) is a pioneer species, because it can grow where no other plants can grow, and when it dies, it make the soil rich to sustain life for other plants. Lichen can grow on rocks, and on dead material, making it able to grow where most other plants cannot grow.

20) r-strategist: R strategist species are species that produce a high number of offspring, that usually live short lives. R strategist species don't pay nearly as much attention to their offspring compared to k strategist species. R strategist species mature early in life. R strategist species often have a sudden big population growth, followed by a crash. R-strategists focus on producing "quantity" offspring over quality. Mice (in the picture) are r-strategists because they produce a high number of offspring, mature early in life, and have short life spans.