Ecosystem - All the living organisms and nonliving factors in an ecosystem
Community - an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location
Controlled burning - Burning an ecosystem to enhance the plant life and get rid of non-native species
Flora - the plant life occurring in a particular region, generally the naturally occurring or native plant life
Fauna - the animal life of any particular region
Consumer - Organisms that eat other organisms
Decomposer - Organisms that get their energy from dead plant and animal materials and convert it to reusable forms. Bacteria, yeast and mushrooms are examples of decomposers
Scavenger - Organisms that feed off dead animals
Producer - Make their own food by a process known as photosynthesis. All green plants are producers.
Quadrat - A sample plot of an area, usually square
Savannah - A grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. A grassy woodland with a significant woody plant component.
Prairie (savannah) - A large, fairly flat land that has few trees and is covered by native grasses and wildflowers.
Abiotic - Non-living parts of an ecosystem. Sun, water, soil, fire are examples.
Forb - A low-growing, broad leafed, annual or perennial flowering plant.
Weed - An undesired plant that crowds out desired plants in an area.
Diversity - Variety of organisms in an ecosystem.
Monoculture - Growing only one type of plant. This is very efficient for farming, but not very stable because of lack of diversity.
Humus - The part of the soil that comes from the decay of plants and other living things. Makes rich soil.
Perennial - A plant that comes up every year from its roots.