Ecosystems And Environment: Science Terms Explained
Plain-language definitions of every ecosystems and environment term your child meets in school, each with kid-friendly explanations, worked examples, and common mistakes to watch for.
Biome
A biome is a large region of Earth with a particular climate, typical plants, and animals that are specially adapted to live there.
Biotic and abiotic
Biotic and abiotic are two words scientists use to describe the parts of an ecosystem: biotic factors are the living things, and abiotic factors are the nonliving parts of the environment that affect those living things.
Carbon cycle
The carbon cycle is the natural process that moves carbon between the air, water, soil, and living things, keeping the amount of carbon on Earth in balance over time.
Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity is the largest number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can support over time without being damaged, based on available resources like food, water, space, and shelter.
Commensalism
Commensalism is a type of relationship between two living things where one organism benefits and the other is not helped or harmed.
Conservation
Conservation is the careful use and protection of Earth’s natural resources and living things so they can stay healthy and available for people, plants, and animals now and in the future.
Deforestation
Deforestation is the large-scale clearing or removal of forests, usually by cutting down or burning trees, so that the land can be used for other purposes such as farming, grazing, or building cities.
Desert
A desert is a type of land that gets very little rain, so the air and soil are usually dry and only specially adapted plants and animals can live there.
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a community of living things and the nonliving parts of their environment, all interacting and affecting one another as a system.
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