HabitatIn ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ecological niche. Thus "habitat" is a species-specific term, fundamentally different from concepts such as environment or vegetation assemblages, for which the term "habitat-type" is more appropriate.
Natural environmentLand management has preserved the natural characteristics of Hopetoun Falls, Australia while allowing ample access for visitors.An image of the Sahara Desert from satellite. It is the world's largest hot desert and third-largest desert after the polar deserts.The natural environment or natural world encompasses all biotic and abiotic things occurring naturally, meaning in this case not artificial. The term is most often applied to Earth or some parts of Earth.
Closed ecological systemClosed ecological systems or contained ecological systems (CES) are ecosystems that do not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system in order to help maintain life. The term is most often used to describe small, man-made ecosystems. Such systems can potentially serve as a life-support system or space habitats. In a closed ecological system, any waste products produced by one species must be used by at least one other species.
BiocoenosisA biocenosis (UK English, biocoenosis, also biocenose, biocoenose, biotic community, biological community, ecological community, life assemblage), coined by Karl Möbius in 1877, describes the interactingorganisms living together in a habitat (biotope). The use of this term has declined in the 21st сentury. In the palaeontological literature, the term distinguishes "life assemblages", which reflect the original living community, living together at one place and time.
Ernst HaeckelErnst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (; German: [ɛʁnst ˈhɛkl̩]; 16 February 1834 – 9 August 1919) was a German zoologist, naturalist, eugenicist, philosopher, physician, professor, marine biologist and artist. He discovered, described and named thousands of new species, mapped a genealogical tree relating all life forms and coined many terms in biology, including ecology, phylum, phylogeny, ontogeny, and Protista.FloraFlora (pl.: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous) native plants. The corresponding term for animals is fauna, and for fungi, it is funga. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora as in the terms gut flora or skin flora for purposes of specificity.
TerrariumA terrarium (pl. terraria or terrariums) is a glass container containing soil and plants in an environment different from the surroundings. It is usually a sealable container that can be opened for maintenance or to access the plants inside; however, terraria can also be open to the atmosphere. Terraria are often kept as ornamental items. A closed terrarium's transparent walls allow heat and light to enter, creating a very favorable environment for plant growth.
FaunaFauna (pl.: faunae or faunas) is all the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are flora and funga, respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as biota. Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess Shale fauna".Population (biology)In biology, a population of organisms is a group of individuals of the same species, defined by a discontinuity or disjunction from other groups of individuals in certain characteristics, such as living area, genetic attributes, demographic structure. Among biologists, the term definition varies, in some cases significantly, and sometimes those variations can be confusing.
GeotopeA geotope is the geological component of the abiotic matrix present in an ecotope. Example geotopes might be an exposed outcrop of rocks, an erratic boulder, a grotto or ravine, a cave, an old stone wall marking a property boundary, and so forth. It is a loanword from German (Geotop) in the study of ecology and might be the model for many other similar words coined by analogy.
LoanwordA loanword is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language (the recipient or target language), through the process of borrowing. Loan and borrow are here metaphorical terms that are well established in linguistics despite their acknowledged descriptive flaws: nothing is taken away (from the donor language) and there is no expectation of returning anything (from the recipient language).
English-speaking worldThe English-speaking world consists of the 88 countries and territories in which English is an official, administrative, or cultural language. In the 2000s, between one and two billion people spoke English, making it the largest language by number of speakers, the third largest language by number of native speakers and the most widespread language geographically. The countries in which English is the native language of most people are sometimes termed the Anglosphere.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.