Unit Three- GLOSSARY

1. biodiversity- the variety of species that make up a community; refers to the species richness (the total number of different species) and relative abundance of the different species.
2. ecosystem- a system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms, plants, and animals with their environment.
3. environs- the surrounding area.
4. hyphae (singular: hypha)- filaments that make up the body of a fungus.
5. microhabitat- a small area where an organism lives that has different conditions from other small areas that might be right next door!
6. mutualism- a relationship between organisms in which both partners benefit.
7. mycelium (plural: mycelia)- the densely branched network of hyphae in a fungus.
8. mycorrhizal- a symbiotic association of the mycelium of a fungus with the roots of certain plants.
9. nocturnal- active at night.
10. parasitic- living on or in the organism of another species, known as the host, and obtaining nutrients from its body.
11. species richness- the total number of different species at a site or in an area.
12. spores- reproductive bodies, usually microscopic, that are produced by mushrooms, plants, bacteria, and Protozoa and that are widely dispersed.
13. symbiosis- an interdependent or mutually beneficial relationship between two dissimilar organisms.