Vocabulary: National Science Educational Standards » Term: Life science K- 4 » Records: Organisms and their environments

Fire as part of an ecosystem (Record ID 5)
Fires occur naturally and are an important part of many ecosystems. Fires burn dead material to release nutrients, open space for many plants and animals, and help plants to release seeds.

The impacts of humans on the environment. (Record ID 126)
Humans are a major part of many ecosystems. However, it is important to understand that our use of the environment has many negative impacts such as pollution, acid rain, global warming, and other effects.

Similarities and differences among habitats (Record ID 35)
A habitat is where an organism naturally lives and finds what it needs to survive. Habitat includes temperature, humidity, rainfall, soil type, and physical structure.

Main zones of the intertidal zone (Record ID 45)
The intertidal zone is found where the tides rise and fall daily, alternatively submerging and exposing the shore to ocean water. Organisms must be able to tolerate times of intense sunlight, little moisture, and wave forces.

Adaptations in the intertidal zone (Record ID 63)
In the intertidal zone organisms are exposed to periods of varying moisture, sunlight, and wave forces. Many organisms have specialized structures or behaviors that allow them to live in this constantly changing and often harsh environment.

Microhabitats within the Mojave desert habitat in California (Record ID 78)
Any habitat is a collection of many microhabitats. Each microhabitat has a distinct set of resources for organisms and a unique physical structure. Consider the many microhabitats within the Mojave desert in California.

Diversity and adaptations in the Mojave desert (Record ID 149)
Deserts are characterized by low humidity, little rainfall, extreme temperatures, and a small amount of vegetation. However, deserts are not "dead zones" and host a variety of organisms adapted to these conditions.

Similarities and differences of predators (Record ID 10)
There is a diverse range of predators in the natural world. A predator is an organism that lives by preying on another organism for food. Predators are also known as consumers and they eat both plants and animals.

Seasonal changes and desert habitat (Record ID 73)
Deserts are dry, with little rainfall and extreme temperatures. Seasonal changes are visible in the desert by the amount and color of the vegetation.

Similarities and differences among habitats (Record ID 211)
A habitat is where an organism naturally lives and finds what it needs to survive. Habitat includes temperature, humidity, rainfall, soil type, and physical structure.

Main zones of the intertidal zone (Record ID 221)
The intertidal zone is found where the tides rise and fall daily, alternatively submerging and exposing the shore to ocean water. Organisms must be able to tolerate times of intense sunlight, little moisture, and wave forces.

Time lapse of rotting apple (Record ID 259)
Decomposition is a time-consuming process that reduces dead matter into smaller parts (chemicals), which are then released to the environment and become part of living organisms again (i.e. by turning into nutrient-rich soil which allows plants to grow).

Invasion of the zebra mussel (Record ID 271)
Zebra mussels were brought to North America in the ballast water of ships. Since 1988, the zebra mussels have pushed native freshwater mussels to near-extinction. The zebra mussel invasion is a great example of time delays.

Loss of sea otters, loss of kelp forests (Record ID 266)
Events that affect one population typically affect other populations. This phenomenon is demonstrated by the otter-urchin-kelp connection.

Worm Experiment (Record ID 276)
To show the effect of earthworms breaking down dead organic material, two containers with equal amounts of dead leaves and soil, one with earthworms and one without, were monitored for 12 weeks.

Forest Food Web (Record ID 281)
Food webs are an interconnection of producers, consumers, and decomposers. It is important to understand that a change to any level of the food web directly and indirectly affects other organisms within the food web.

Mutualistic relationships in nature (Record ID 15)
Many organisms depend on other organisms for survival. Mutualism is when two organisms have a relationship in nature and each benefits from the relationship. Pollination and lichens are the best examples of mutualism.

Birds' beaks: a special adaptation (Record ID 179)
The size and shape of a bird's beak is telling of its diet. Bird's beaks are special adaptations to get food and vary according to if the bird eats plants, animals, or seeds.

Comparing seahorses and seadragons (Record ID 424)
Seahorses and seadragons both live in oceans. They also both come in different shapes and sizes. They both have hard, rigid bodies and move very slowly. Both seahorses and seadragons reproduce with the males carrying the eggs instead of the females. Both can change colors to match their environment. Seahorses can grab onto plants while seadragons cannot.

Chicken life cycle (Record ID 486)
A female chicken is called a hen and a male chicken is called a rooster. Hens lay eggs as a way to reproduce. The egg then hatches into a baby chick and the chick matures into an adult hen or rooster.

Recycling (Record ID 494)
Recycling helps the environment that we and other organisms live in. You can recycle something by using an item for another purpose or by breaking it down to make more of that item.

Endangered animals (Record ID 508)
There are many animals that are in danger of becoming extinct. Humans are largely to blame for their endangerment. Over-hunting and habitat destruction are only a couple of ways that humans are endangering animals.

The pH scale (Record ID 520)
Some animals tolerate broad changes in pH well while others do not. Human activities can create acid rain. Acid rain can change the pH of the environment and destroy entire ecosystems and habitats. For an ecosystem to function properly, its pH must be able to accommodate all of the organisms living in it.

Importance of animal products (Record ID 527)
Animal products are a valuable resource to many humans. They can provide nourishment, nutrients, and protection for humans.

Grass and grain seeds (Record ID 610)
Many types of grasses grow back after they have been cut back or mowed. Some weeds also do this, but other kinds of weeds stop growing once cut. Grains are seeds, but they are also valuable sources of food for humans and animals.

Environments (Record ID 651)
Environments are effected by the organisms that live in them. An environment is everything that surrounds and influences an organism. An environmental factor is one part of an environment-it can be living or nonliving.

Parasitic relationships (Record ID 805)
Animal interactions can lead to a type of relationship known as parasitism. A parasitic relationship is one in which one organism benefits while the other organism is harmed.

Effects of non-native species (Record ID 804)
Species that are not native in a particular area can change the food chain and the environment of the area. Organisms, called biological control agents, may need to be introduced to control the effects of the non-native species.

Living and non-living things (Record ID 803)
Living things often rely on non-living things to accomplish daily tasks. Living things have several characteristics that non-living things do not, such as the ability to move, eat, breathe, and reproduce. Living things and non-living things can interact even though they do not have the same characteristics.

Decomposers (Record ID 297)
Decomposers eat and break down dead organic material and release nutrients into the soil. Decomposers help in nutrient cycling because they release atoms, which are then recycled in the environment (soil, air, water). Decomposers range from obvious earthworms to non-obvious microscopic microbes and bacteria.

This material is based upon work that was supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0127164 to California State University Fullerton. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.