A system in which living entities consume living, dead, or non-living entities or are consumed by other living entities through trophic interactions.
food web
A food web in which the outputs of a trophic interaction are consumed by organisms acting in a lower trophic level relative to the initial interaction.
Definition needs revision, but core intention is captured.
food cycle
A system in which a series of living entities consume living, dead, or non-living entities in successively higher trophic levels.
food chain
A function which inheres in a living entity by virtue of that entity being able to feed on a material.
trophic function
A function which inheres in a living entity by virtue of that entity being able to feed on living or once-living (dead) material.
heterotrophic function
A function which inheres in a living entity by virtue of that entity being able to harvest energy and create biomass from non-living materials.
autotrophic function
A function which inheres in a living entity by virtue of that entity being able to realize autotrophic and heterotrophic functions.
mixotrophic function
A process during which a living entity acquires or generates food and energy from a living, dead, or non-living entity.
All categories of interaction partners should be indentified in subclasses.
trophic process
A trophic process during which a living entity acquires energy and generates biomass from non-living entities.
This should be axiomatised and made a defined class: any trophic interaction which has as input some inorganic material (non-living) that is the only source of carbon or reducing equivalents source is a autotrophic process.
autotrophy
An organism that obtains carbon for growth and development by metabolizing biogenic organic compounds derived from living or dead material.
heterotroph
A trophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming another organism or organism part, living or dead.
This should be axiomatised and made a defined class: any trophic interaction which has as input some organic material (living or dead) that is the only source of carbon or reducing equivalents source is a autotrophic process.
heterotrophy
An organism which is capable of heterotrophic and autotrophic trophic processes.
mixotroph
A herbivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming nectar.
nectivory
A trophic process during which a living entity acquires reducing equivalents from inorganic chemicals for use in biosynthesis or energy conservation via aerobic or anaerobic respiration.
lithotrophy
fungivore
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming living fungal material.
In this class, we make no commitment to whether the organism belongs to a taxon which has adapted to a fungi-heavy diet: this is a functional defintion, referencing the act of eating, primarily, a fungi-based diet.
fungivory
A trophic process during which a living entity generates food from abiotic sources or through consumption of living or dead material, and captures energy from light.
phototrophy
A history which includes all the processes during which resources are used by an organism to grow, survive, and reproduce over its lifetime.
life history
A heterotroph which consumes plants or macroalgae via ingestion through a type of "mouth". Plant or algal matter is broken down through an internal digestion process.
There is some debate over whether herbivores should be restricted to plants and macroalgae or generalsed to more photoautotrophs. We welcome input on our issue tracker: https://github.com/EcologicalSemantics/ecocore
herbivore
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming living plant- or macro-algal material.
In this class, we make no commitment to whether the organism belongs to a taxon which has adapted to a herbivorous diet: this is a functional defintion, referencing the act of eating, primarily, a plant- or macroalga-based diet.
herbivory
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy from consuming living metazoan (animal) material.
In this class, we make no commitment to whether the organism belongs to a taxon which has adapted to a carnivorous diet: this is a functional defintion, referencing the act of eating, primarily, an animal-based diet.
carnivory
A process during which two living entities engage in a close and long-term biological interaction.
symbiosis
An organism which is capable of incorporating abiogenic (inorganic) carbon into its biomass.
autotroph
Quotient (or ratio) of surface area of an organism divided by the mass of the same organism
A symbiotic process in which one participant gains benefits while the other participant neither benefits nor is harmed.
commensalism
The duration of the development from fertilized, deposited or implanted egg to hatching/birth. Corresponds to egg incubation duration in oviparous animals and to gestation period duration in viviparous animals.
Type of food comprising the majority of the diet of an organism
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring that develop inside a shelled egg, with a large food supply in yolk, after internal fertilization
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring that are born live, or where the development of the offspring is supported by either parent in or on any part of their body
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring that are born live after retaining the eggs inside the body of the female
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring via external fertilization, the oocytes being released and fertilized outside the female's body by the male
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce zygotes that develop in the female's oviducts, but find their nutriments from other tissues, whether skin or glandular tissue
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring that receive nutriments from the female during prenatal development via a specialized structure, such as a placenta
The second post-naupliar life stage of a copepod
The third post-naupliar life stage of a copepod
The fourth post-naupliar life stage of a copepod
The fifth post-naupliar life stage of a copepod
The sixth post-naupliar life stage of a copepod
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for running
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for digging and living underground
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for living in trees
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer having reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes at the same time
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer having female reproductive organs at the beginning of its life and then switching to male reproductive organs
The process by which a larvae transforms into an adult wherein the larvae looks like a smaller adult form
heterotroph that acquires nutrition from a symbiont
An organism bearing a symbiont role and capable of living within a plant for at least part of its life cycle without causing apparent disease
A symbiotic process in which one participant gains benefits while the other participant is harmed.
parasitism
anatomical entity that comprises the organism in a distinct juvenile form that is provided with a source of nutrition, usually a yolk sac, to use before metamorphosing into an adult
a community of microscopic, unicellular eukaryotic algae and the prokaryotic Cyanobacteria which live on sediment surfaces
Organism that acquires nutrition by consuming particles of organic matter that have settled to the bottom of a body of water.
A heterotroph that acquires nutrition by consuming particles suspended in water or air.
Organism that acquires nutrition by consuming particles of organic matter that have settled to the bottom of a body of water. The organism lives beneath the surface of the bottom sediment and retrieves food particles without coming into direct contact with the sediment surface.
Organism that acquires nutrition by consuming particles of organic matter that have settled to the bottom of a body of water. The organism lives on or in the bottom sediment and uses a part of its body to retrieve the food particles directly from the surface.
heterotroph that obtains nutrition by breaking down dead or decaying organisms or other organic matter
A decomposer which obtains nutrition by consuming detritus.
A decomposer that obtains nutrition through extracellular digestion of decaying organic matter
A decomposition process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming detritus.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by breaking down organic substances into simpler matter.
A decomposition process during which a living entity acquires food and energy through extracellular digestion of decaying organic matter.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy through a symbiotic relationship with another organism.
An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the organization of the systems of organs involved with sexual reproduction amongst the bearer's conspecifics.
An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the structure of the bearer's conspecifics in relation to sexual behavior.
One male and one female have an exclusive mating relationship
One female has an exclusive mating relationship with two or more males
One male has an exclusive mating relationship with two or more females
Two or more males have an exclusive mating relationship with two or more females
a member of one sex mates with any member of the opposite sex
The ecological state of a species being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, or other defined zone or habitat type.
The ecological state of a species or population wherein all individuals are dead.
The ecological state of a species living in a region where its presence is the result of only natural process, with no human intervention
The ecological state of a species living outside its native distributional range, which has arrived there by human activity, either deliberate or accidental.
The ecological state that is not the extinct state
The ecological state of a species being found across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats.
The ecological state of a species being unique to a very small and specific location, such as the side of a mountain or a single lake.
The estimated proportion of members of a population alive in year t that is still alive in year t + 1
A polyphyletic group of diverse photosynthetic organisms that excludes vascular plants and mosses and includes cyanobacteria, seaweed, and some single-celled organisms.
Bacteria that are able to obtain their energy through photosynthesis
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for being active primarily during dawn and dusk
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for being active during the hours of darkness
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for being active during the hours of daylight
An evolutionary quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's morphological and physiological adaptation for participating in long-distance movement of conspecifics, usually on a seasonal basis
An herbivore that primarily consumes grasses.
An herbivore that primarily consumes leaves
An herbivore that primarily consumes roots
An herbivore that primarily consumes algae
A heterotroph with a temporary parasitic association with another organism that leads to the death of the host. After which, the parasitoid can continue without the host or can move on to a new host. These organisms are considered partly parasites and partly predators.
A heterotroph that consumes animals in whole or in part via ingestion through a type of "mouth". Animal matter is broken down through an internal digestion process.
A carnivore that actively captures and consumes other animals, causing their immediate or immenent death
A carnivore that feeds on dead and decaying animal matter
A predator that eats primary consumers or herbivores
A predator that eats secondary consumers
a predator residing at the top of a food chain upon which no other creatures prey.
a predator that captures or traps prey by stealth or strategy, rather than by speed or strength.
A herbivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming grasses, leaves, and other soft plant material.
A herbivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming seeds of a plant.
A herbivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming twigs, leaves, and bark of trees and shrubs.
A carnivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming other animals while they are stil alive. Predation leads directly to the imminent death of the prey organism(s).
The definition of predation can be controversial.
A carnivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming dead or decaying animal matter.
A predation process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming all or part of another individual of the same species as food.
A cannibalistic process during which an embryo obtains food and energy by consuming a less-developed sibling while both are still in the uterus.
An intrauterine cannibalistic process during which an embryo obtains food and energy by consuming a less-developed sibling embryo while both are still in the uterus.
An intrauterine cannibalistic process during which an embryo obtains food and energy by consuming less-developed sibling eggs while both are still in the uterus.
A predation process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming insects.
A predation process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming eggs.
A predation process during which a group of predators cooperates to kill creatures larger than those they could overpower singly.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming a very narrow range of food items, sometimes only one.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming a few, very specific food items.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming a wide range of food items.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy from consuming bacteria.
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring via external fertilisation, the oocytes being scattered into the environment and fertilised outside the female's body by the male.
A reproductive quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to produce offspring via external fertilisation, the oocytes being released in an ovigerous sac and fertilised outside the female's body by the male.
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer having male reproductive organs at the beginning of its life and then switching to female reproductive organs
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer having female reproductive organs at the beginning of its life and then switching to being a hermaphrodite
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer having male reproductive organs at the beginning of its life and then switching to being a hermaphrodite
a reproductive quality inhering in the bearer by virtue of the bearer changing sex at some point in its life
A photoautotroph which is capable of using a biogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A photoautotroph which is capable of using an abiogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A chemoautotroph which is capable of using a biogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A chemoautotroph which is capable of using an abiogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A photoheterotroph which is capable of using a biogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A photoheterotroph which is capable of using an abiogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A chemoheterotroph which is capable of using a biogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
A chemoheterotroph which is capable of using an abiogenic organic compound as an electron donor.
An autotroph which is capable of obtaining energy from the bonds in a chemical compound.
An autotroph which is capable of transforming light into chemical energy.
A heterotroph which is capable of transforming light into chemical energy.
A heterotroph which is capable of obtaining energy from the bonds in a chemical compound.
An organism that thrives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on Earth
An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to live on the surface of the soil and in leaf litter
An herbivore that primarily consumes fruits or fruit-like vegetables
An herbivore that primarily consumes pollen
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by eating food off of a surface while slowly moving through the environment.
An herbivore that primarily consumes nectar
An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to live in the top 20 cm of soil and make temporary, horizontal burrows.
An organismal quality inhering in a bearer by virtue of the bearer's ability to burrow more than 20 cm deep into the soil and make permanent, vertical burrows.
An herbivore that primarily consumes seeds
An herbivore that primarily consumes wood
An herbivore that primarily consumes plant exudates - gums, saps, and resins
J.G. Fleagle 1988 Primate Adaptations and Evolution. Academic Press. NY
A symbiotroph that reduces the fitness, survival, or growth of its symbiont, often called a host
A symbiotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy from another living entity via a close association. The entity providing the food and energy is harmed by this process.
An organism that is consumed in whole or in part by a predator
Prey that is successfully captured and consumed at a higher frequency than other types of prey. The predator may be specially adapted for capturing or consuming its preferred prey or have special nutritional requirements that are only met by the preferred prey.
Prey that is consumed only if the preferred prey are unavailable.
A parasite that lives entirely within the body of its host
A parasite that lives on the exterior surface of its host
A parasite that enters the body of the host, but remains partially outside
A predation process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming snakes.
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy from consuming hard organisms or hard parts of organisms. This can include plants, such as bamboo, animals with hard shells, such as corals, or the hard parts of organisms, such as bone. Durophagy requires special adaptions, such as blunt, strong teeth and a heavy jaw.
A suspension feeder that acquires nutrition by consuming particles using a filtering apparatus.
A suspension feeder that acquires nutrition by consuming planktonic organisms.
A heterotroph that obtains dissolved organic compounds by osmosis for nutrition. An osmotroph is not directly involved in breaking down organic material to create the organic compounds it uses.
A symbiotrophic process in which a bacterium provides chemically-derived energy and nutrients, often via the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide, to a higher organism.
A symbiotrophic process in which a photosynthetic organism provides energy and nutrients to a heterotrophic organism.
A trophic process during which a living entity acquires reducing equivalents from organic chemicals for use in biosynthesis or energy conservation via aerobic or anaerobic respiration.
A trophic process during which a living entity generates food from abiotic sources or through consumption of living or dead material, and captures energy from preformed molecules.
A carnivore that consumes blood, during a brief, temporary interaction.
A carnivorous process during which a living entity acquires food and energy from consuming blood.
A reproductive process wherein a virus uses another cell for reproduction. This process causes the mortality of the host cell via lysis.
a folivore that lives in and eats the leaf tissue of plants
an herbivore that primarily consumes grasses, leaves, and other soft plant material
An herbivore that primarily consumes twigs, leaves, and bark of trees and shrubs.
a carnivore that primarily eats organisms less than 1 cm in their longest dimension
an organism that uses inorganic sulfur compounds as a terminal electron acceptor during cellular respiration
an organism that does not require oxygen for growth
an organism that can survive and grow in an oxygenated environment
an organism capable of producing all amino acids required for its growth
an organism that is unable to synthesize a particular organic compound required for its growth
a decomposer which obtains nutrition by consuming feces
an anaerobe that makes ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present, but is capable of switching to fermentation if oxygen is absent.
an anaerobe that cannot grow in the presence of oxygen
an aerobe that can grow at oxygen levels lower than what is present in the atmosphere
an anaerobe that can tolerate low levels of oxygen
A heterotrophic process during which a living entity acquires food and energy by consuming particles of organic matter that have settled to the bottom of a body of water
deposit feeding
An environmental zone that encompasses the geographical area in which most members of a species as collection of organisms can be found.
I feel that there should be some relationship to "species as collection of organisms" but I don't know which one. Determined by seems a little too strong, but might work.
Not all member of the species are necessarily found within its range, because there may be individuals in zoos or individuals that have strayed beyond the range but which will not be able to form a sustainable population in the new area. The latter individuals are often referred to as vagrants.
species range
A heterotroph that consumes plant and animal matter either in whole or in part via ingestion through a type of "mouth". Animal and plant matter is broken down through an internal digestion process
An environmental zone which an animal consistently defends against conspecifics or, occasionally, animals of other species
is a defining property chain axiom where second argument is reflexive