The Remarkable World of Insects

6. Organisms used to assess the health of an environment or ecosystem, often indicating the quality of environmental conditions through their presence, absence, or abundance.
9. A complex network or interconnected system formed by the interaction of a community of living organisms (biotic) with their physical environment (abiotic).
10. Animals that lack a vertebral column, or backbone, including groups such as insects, mollusks, and arthropods.
12. A phenomenon where surfaces appear to change color as the angle of view or the angle of illumination changes, commonly seen in the wings of certain butterflies and beetles.
14. A large group of invertebrate animals characterized by their exoskeleton, segmented body, and jointed appendages; includes insects, arachnids, and crustaceans.
15. The natural process of breaking down organic matter such as dead plants and animals into simpler organic and inorganic materials, often carried out by insects and microorganisms.

1. A close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species, where each species benefits from the relationship, such as ants and aphids.
2. The process by which pollen is transferred from the male part of a plant to the female part, enabling fertilization and the production of seeds, often facilitated by insects like bees and butterflies.
3. Describing a type of symbiotic relationship where both parties involved gain benefits, for example, the interaction between pollinating insects and flowering plants.
4. The variety and variability of life on Earth, encompassing the diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.
5. A specific role or position that an organism occupies within an ecosystem, encompassing its behavior, interactions, and use of resources.
7. Substances that provide nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life. In an ecological context, nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are recycled through processes like decomposition.
8. Animals that move pollen from the male anthers of a flower to the female stigma to accomplish fertilization, including bees, butterflies, and other insects.
11. A rigid external covering for the body in some invertebrate animals, especially arthropods, providing both support and protection.
13. The natural environment in which a particular species of animal, plant, or other organism lives and thrives, providing necessary resources like food and shelter.