Terms & Definitions

• adaptation
  a behavior or body structure which makes an organism more successful in its habitat

• biodiversity
  the variety of life forms, their ecological roles and their genetic variations

• communities
  integrated groups of species inhabiting a given area that influence one another's distribution, abundance, and evolution

• conservation
  using habitats, resources, animals and plants wisely, so as to save them for future generations

• deciduous
  bushes and trees that shed their leaves at the end of a growing season

• decomposition
  the act of breaking down or decaying into basic elements and compounds

• ecosystem
  a natural arrangement of living organisms interacting within their physical environment to create a stable system

• endangered
  in danger of extinction throughout (all or a significant portion of) its range if current trends affecting its population continue

• foliage
  the leaves of plants and trees

• food chains
  the transfer of food energy from producer (plant) to consumer (animal) to decomposer (insect, fungus, etc.)

• forests
  any dense growth of trees and other plants that covers large areas

• habitats
  any arrangement of space, food, water and shelter suitable for the survival and reproduction of an organism

• humus
  the organic part of soil formed from decaying plant and animal matter

• natural resource
  a material source of wealth that occurs in a natural state

• photosynthesis
  the production of sugars and starches from simple chemicals by using light energy

• primate
  the mammalian order that contains prosimians (lemurs), monkeys, apes, and humans

• transpiration
  the elimination of excess water through pores in plant tissues