{"thcode":2,"term":{"code":311,"name":"ecology","parent":650,"scope":"Study of the relations between living plants and animals and their environment."},"uf":[{"name":"bionomics","usewith":false}],"bt":[{"code":650,"name":"life sciences","parent":1019,"scope":"Branches of science that study living and fossil organisms."},{"code":1019,"name":"sciences","parent":1,"scope":"Major educational fields, fields of study, and professional groupings within USGS."},{"code":1,"name":"Categories","parent":null,"scope":"Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."}],"nt":[],"rt":[{"code":40,"name":"animal behavior","parent":921,"scope":"The way animals act or react to conditions in the environment and to other organisms, including life patterns such as migration, hibernation, and nocturnal living."},{"code":53,"name":"aquatic biology","parent":650,"scope":"The scientific study of organisms living in or near water.  This term is to be used for the science of 'aquatic biology' and for  biological studies in fresh and brackish water. For marine biological studies, use 'marine biology'."},{"code":54,"name":"aquatic ecosystems","parent":319,"scope":"Communities of interdependent organisms living primarily in or on water."},{"code":85,"name":"benthic ecosystems","parent":54,"scope":"Biologic communities and habitats at the bottom of lakes, streams, or oceans."},{"code":88,"name":"bioaccumulation","parent":310,"scope":"The biological sequestering of a substance at a higher concentration than that at which it occurs in the surrounding environment or medium.  Also, the process whereby a substance enters an organism through the gills, epithelial tissues, dietary, or other sources."},{"code":92,"name":"biodiversity","parent":921,"scope":"The variety in form, genetics, and ecological roles of organisms within a specific geographic area."},{"code":93,"name":"biogeochemical cycling","parent":310,"scope":"The cycling of chemical constituents through a biological system."},{"code":96,"name":"biogeography","parent":921,"scope":"The study of the geographic distributions of plants and animals."},{"code":108,"name":"biological productivity","parent":310,"scope":"The rate at which primary producers in the ecosystem utilize solar energy to produce food for consumption by other organisms. Do not use this term for productivity of organisms related to studies of the reproduction rates of a species."},{"code":113,"name":"bioremediation","parent":980,"scope":"Use of biological methods, usually involving microorganisms, to break down or neutralize contaminants in soil, water, and wastes."},{"code":141,"name":"carbon cycling","parent":93,"scope":"The circulation of carbon in the biosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere through a series of processes that include photosynthesis, consumption, and respiration."},{"code":145,"name":"carnivores","parent":194,"scope":"Flesh-eating animals."},{"code":174,"name":"coastal ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats within the narrow zones of land between the margin of oceans or seas and large landmasses."},{"code":187,"name":"community ecology","parent":921,"scope":"Study of the relationships of species that interact in a common area."},{"code":194,"name":"consumers (organisms)","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms unable to produce food from nonliving matter and dependent on ingesting other animals, plants, or particulate organic matter."},{"code":238,"name":"decomposers","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms, chiefly microorganisms and invertebrates, that feed on dead plant or animal matter breaking it down and recycling the resulting elements and compounds in the environment."},{"code":245,"name":"desert ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats in arid areas with little precipitation, sparse, highly adapted vegetation, and extreme temperatures."},{"code":246,"name":"desertification","parent":168,"scope":"The alteration of arable land to dry, barren land due to prolonged drought or the deleterious effects of human intervention including overgrazing, overpopulation, or destructive agricultural practices."},{"code":268,"name":"dispersal (organisms)","parent":310,"scope":"The dissemination or geographic spread of individuals of a plant or animal population."},{"code":308,"name":"ecological competition","parent":310,"scope":"The struggle between members of two or more species for scarce environmental resources."},{"code":310,"name":"ecological processes","parent":101,"scope":"Dynamic biogeochemical interactions that occur among and between biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere."},{"code":315,"name":"ecosystem functions","parent":310,"scope":"The total life activities of organisms in habitats and the effects of those activities on the nonliving components of the environment."},{"code":317,"name":"ecosystem monitoring","parent":375,"scope":"Recording, evaluating, and actively intervening over time in the interaction of living and nonliving elements in a specific environment."},{"code":319,"name":"ecosystems","parent":921,"scope":"The interacting populations of plants, animals, and  microorganisms occupying a certain area, and their relationship to the environment."},{"code":320,"name":"ecotoxicology","parent":650,"scope":"Scientific study of causes, dispersal, and effects of contaminants on the environment."},{"code":485,"name":"effects of climate change","parent":1174,"scope":"Characteristics and behaviors of organisms and earth systems that are modified as a result of changes in global, regional, or local climate."},{"code":332,"name":"endangered species","parent":841,"scope":"Any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range."},{"code":333,"name":"endemic species","parent":768,"scope":"Plant and animals species native to and confined to specific geographic areas."},{"code":358,"name":"estuarine ecosystems","parent":54,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats within sea inlets or the zones where rivers meet the seas which are subject to tidal effects and the mixture of fresh and saltwater."},{"code":359,"name":"eutrophication","parent":310,"scope":"The process by which water becomes enriched with plant nutrients, most commonly phosphorus and nitrogen."},{"code":365,"name":"extinction and extirpation","parent":310,"scope":"Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species from the earth.  Extirpation is the complete disappearance (elimination) of a species from a given region, island, or area."},{"code":384,"name":"fires","parent":101,"scope":"Combustion, marked by flames or intense heat, in natural settings, often ignited by lightning or human activities.  For fires set as part of natural resource management, use 'controlled fires'."},{"code":407,"name":"food web","parent":807,"scope":"The complex intertwining of the interrelated food chains in an ecosystem."},{"code":410,"name":"forest ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats in geographic areas with dense growths of trees and associated vegetation."},{"code":411,"name":"forest resources","parent":777,"scope":"Trees and associated vegetation available for human use.  Use for timber and other forest resources with economic value."},{"code":419,"name":"freshwater ecosystems","parent":54,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats that exist in lakes, rivers, ponds, and other bodies of water that are not salty."},{"code":499,"name":"grassland ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats with ground cover of grasses and other herbaceous plants, but few trees.  Examples include prairies, meadows, and savannas."},{"code":522,"name":"habitat alteration and disturbance","parent":310,"scope":"Changes in the environments where plants and animals live.  Includes natural changes as well as results of human actions, deliberate or accidental."},{"code":537,"name":"herbivores","parent":194,"scope":"Animals that eat chiefly plants or their products, such as seeds, nectar, and fruit."},{"code":548,"name":"human impacts","parent":1174,"scope":"The effects, intentional or unintentional, beneficial or harmful, direct or indirect, which human activities have upon the environment and living things."},{"code":602,"name":"invasive species","parent":797,"scope":"Plant, animal, or microbe species that is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health."},{"code":629,"name":"land use change","parent":548,"scope":"Effect of changing land use patterns on ecological systems."},{"code":672,"name":"long-term ecological monitoring","parent":317,"scope":"Data collection over a period of years or decades to assess changes in selected biological communities and habitats."},{"code":704,"name":"marine ecosystems","parent":54,"scope":"Biological communities composed of plants and animals living primarily in or on seawater."},{"code":720,"name":"mercury contamination","parent":1181,"scope":"Biological disturbances caused by mercury compounds that have entered the environment."},{"code":743,"name":"migration (organisms)","parent":310,"scope":"The movement of animals, often periodical, from one area to another due to seasonal changes, availability of food, or climatic conditions."},{"code":744,"name":"migratory species","parent":841,"scope":"Species that have a pattern of moving from one geographical area to another, primarily according to the seasons, and usually traveling long distances along established routes."},{"code":768,"name":"native species","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms originating in the area where they live."},{"code":797,"name":"nonindigenous species","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms accidentally or intentionally introduced into areas where they did not previously originate or live."},{"code":807,"name":"nutrient cycling","parent":93,"scope":"The exchange of elements or compounds essential for the nourishment of organisms in an ecosystem."},{"code":832,"name":"omnivores","parent":194,"scope":"Animals that eat both plant and animal materials."},{"code":879,"name":"pesticide and herbicide contamination","parent":769,"scope":"Pollution resulting from chemical agents applied to crops, rights of way, lawns, or residences to control weeds, insects, fungi, nematodes, rodents or other pests (pesticides) or kill undesirable plants (herbicides)."},{"code":911,"name":"plot sampling","parent":379,"scope":"Outlining small areas of land within a larger area to use as samples to study biological populations or ecosystems."},{"code":916,"name":"pollinators","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms that aid in the growth and distribution of plants by transferring pollen as a byproduct of their feeding activities."},{"code":921,"name":"population and community ecology","parent":1174,"scope":"Interactions of a single species (population) or an association of different species (community) occupying a particular region, including their biotic and abiotic environments."},{"code":922,"name":"population dynamics","parent":921,"scope":"Changes in the size, composition, or structure of aggregates of single or multiple species in a specific area over time."},{"code":935,"name":"producers (organisms)","parent":841,"scope":"Organisms, chiefly green plants, which use inorganic elements, compounds, and light to produce their food (photosynthesis). They are a source of food for animals."},{"code":971,"name":"reef ecosystems","parent":704,"scope":"Biological communities formed by the skeletons of calcareous seawater organisms, usually corals."},{"code":980,"name":"remediation","parent":776,"scope":"Methods for decontaminating, reclaiming, and restoring natural resources or reducing the effects of hazards."},{"code":1059,"name":"shrubland ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological land communities and habitats with sparse, low-growing vegetation."},{"code":1123,"name":"succession (biological)","parent":310,"scope":"Gradual replacement of one species in an area by another."},{"code":1156,"name":"terrestrial ecosystems","parent":319,"scope":"Communities of living organisms in a specific geographical location which exist primarily on land and not in water."},{"code":1196,"name":"tundra ecosystems","parent":1156,"scope":"Biological communities and habitats located in the treeless plains of Arctic regions where the subsoil is permanently frozen."},{"code":1266,"name":"vegetation","parent":841,"scope":"Plant life or general plant cover in an area."},{"code":1293,"name":"waste treatment and disposal","parent":548,"scope":"The chemical and physical methods to recycle or dispose of materials which, without treatment, are deemed to have no further value or are too contaminated to be used."},{"code":1326,"name":"wetland ecosystems","parent":319,"scope":"Ecosystems whose soil is saturated for long periods seasonally or continuously, including marshes, swamps, and ephemeral ponds.  More detailed terms for wetlands can be selected from the FGDC Wetland Classification <http:\/\/fgdc.gov\/standards\/status\/sub3_4.html>."},{"code":1327,"name":"wetland functions","parent":315,"scope":"Processes related to wetlands such as support of ecosystems, evaporation effects on weather, nutrient cycles, etc."}]}