Invertebrate Definition Invertebrates are animals that don’t have a backbone. The vertebral column is another name for the backbone. Over 90% of all species on Earth are invertebrates, and …
Intertidal Zone Definition The intertidal zone or “littoral zone” is the term used to describe the seashore which is covered during high tide and exposed …
Fundamental Niche Definition The niche of any organism is the role that it fills within an ecosystem as a response to the amount and distribution of resources, the competition present, and the way …
Definition A fossil is the mineralized partial or complete form of an organism, or of an organism’s activity, that has been preserved as a cast, impression …
Fauna Definition Fauna is a term which refers to all of the animal life within a specified region, time period, or both. The “flora and …
Extremophile Definition Extremophiles are organisms that have evolved to survive in environments once thought to be entirely uninhabitable. These environments are inhospitable, reaching extreme conditions …
Extirpation Definition Extirpation (also known as ‘local extinction’) describes the situation in which a species or population no longer exists within a certain geographical location. Unlike extinction, whereby a species no …
Extinction Definition Extinction is a term applied to a known species, of which there are no known living individuals. Some species which have suffered extinction are …
Exoskeleton Definition An exoskeleton is the rigid covering found on the exterior of many animals, particularly invertebrates such as arthropods and mollusks. Much like the internal endoskeleton of vertebrates, the exoskeleton is …
Energy Pyramid Definition An energy pyramid (sometimes called a trophic pyramid or an ecological pyramid) is a graphical representation, showing the flow of energy at each trophic …