Chapter 4: ECOSYSTEMS & BIOMESLearning Target Vocabulary Word Definition Facts or Examples Symbol/PictureLesson 1

I can identify the needs that must

be met by an organism’s

surroundings . . .

organisma ________________

thingorganisms get __________, water, __________and other

things it needs to live, ________, and reproduce from

its environment.

habitatthe _________________

that provides the _____________ things an organism needs

Ex. Forest, prarie

I can identify the two parts of an

organism’s habitat . . .

biotic factor parts of a __________ that are __________ or

once living and interact with the

organism

Ex. plants, worms, bacteria, decomposing leaves,and

other animals.

abiotic factor ___________ parts of an organism’s habitat

Ex. sunlight, air, wind, oxygen, temperature, water,

sand, rocks

I can describe the levels of

organization within an

ecosystem . . .

species

a group of organisms that can _________

with each other and produce ___________ that can also mate

and reproduce.

Ex. black-tailed prarie dog, Fox squirrel

population the members of one species living in a

____________ ________

Ex. prarie dog town located in a field in Nebraska.

community all the different ________________ that live together in an

area.

Ex. in a Nebraska field, the community would include

prarie dogs, snakes, hawks, grass, butterflies.

ecosystem all the ____________ and _____________

things that interact in an area

Ex. in a Nebraska field, the community would include

prarie dogs, snakes, hawks, grass, butterflies, soil, sunlight, oxygen, etc.

ecology the study of how organisms

_____________ with their environment.

Lesson 2

I can name and describe the

energy roles that organisms play in an ecosystem…

producers an organism that ________________ its

own food

autotrophs like plants, algae get energy from _____________; some bacteria get it from hydrogen sulfide gas

consumers an organism that obtains energy by ______________ on other organisms.

can be first level consumer when it eats __________. Second, third, fourth level consumer when it eats _____________ that eat other animals that eat plants.

herbivore organisms that eat only __________

Ex. caterpillars, rabbits, deer

carnivore organisms that eat only ___________

Ex. wolves, snakes, walruses

omnivore organisms that eat both _____________ and ____________

Ex. crows, bears, humans

scavengera ______________ that

feeds on the bodies of dead organisms.

Ex. catfish, vultures

decomposersorganisms that break down biotic ________ and dead organisms

and return the _________________ to

the ecosystem.

“Nature’s recyclers”Ex. mushroom, bacteria,

mold

I can explain how energy moves

through an ecosystem.

food chain a series of events when one organism ________ another and

obtains energy.

food web consists of many overlapping ________

__________ in an ecosystem

organisms can have more than one role. Ex. A crayfish

is a first level consumer when it eats plants but a

second level consumer when it eats snails.

energy pyramid

a _____________ that shows the amount of

____________ that moves from one feeding level to

another in a food web

The most energy is available at the _________ level of the pyramid. As energy moves up the pyramid, each level

has ________ energy than the level below.

Lesson 4

I can name the six major biomes

found on Earth . . .biome

a group of ecosystems with

____________ climates and organisms

Ex. desert, rain forest, grassland, deciduous forest,

boreal forest, tundra

climate average annual _______________ and

amount of ________________

desert an area that receives less than _____ cm of

rain per year

Temperatures can vary Ex. Namib, Africa – hot day, cool

at night,Gobi Desert, Asia – temp

below freezing

rain forest forests in which __________ amounts of rain fall each year

________________ – having moderate temperatures, ex. Pacific NW, USA________________ – climate is warm and humid year round, ex. Amazon

emergent layer

tallest layer of the _____________; receives most

___________

can reach up to _____ meters

canopy trees up to _____ meters tall create a

leafy roof

understory layer of _______ trees and vines around ____ meters high

plants in this layer cangrow in shade

grassland an area that is populated mostly be __________ and other______________ plants

Most grasslands receive __-__ cm of rain each year. Fires and drought are common.

savanna Grasslands that are located closer to the

______________

receives as much as ____ cm of rain each year, some

small shrubs and trees grow.

deciduous forest

forest that have trees that shed their

__________ and grow new ones each year

common trees are oaks and maples. Temp varies and at least ____ cm of rain each

year. Ex. OHIO

boreal forest

________ forest found in _____________

hemisphere

Ex. Canada & Northern Asia, contain coniferous trees.

coniferous tree

trees that produce their seeds in ______

and have leaves shaped like _________

Sometimes called the ________ forest. Cold, snowy

winters, rainy and cool summers.

tundra extremely ________ and ______ areas

little precipitation, northern most latitudes

permafrost soil that is __________ year round

Lesson 5I can name and describe the two major types of aquatic ecosystems

. . .

freshwater ecosystem

streams, _________, lakes and __________

Only _____% of Earths surface water is fresh water

marine ecosystem

__________ and oceans ___% of Earth’s surface water

estuary a place where the ______ water of a river meets the _____water

of an ocean

Many animals use this area as breeding grounds.

Lesson 6

I can identify what factors affect

species dispersal . . .

biogeography the study of where organisms __________

and how they got there

continental drift

____________ plates have moved from a

time when they all fit together (Pangea)

dispersal ___________of organisms from one

place to another

caused by gravity, _________, water, or living things

exotic speciesan organism that is ____________ into a new location by

____________

They have contributed to the decline or elimination of

native species.

Limits to dispersal

Three things that limit dispersal are:

______________________________________________________

Other termsI can explain what

primary and secondary

succession are . . . succession

a process of ecological change in

which a series of natural communities are established and then replaced over

time

primary succession

takes place on an area that is originally completely empty of

life

Examples: begins as an area that has been covered by lava or where soil has been scraped away by glaciers, or a parking lot is no longer used

secondary succession

occurs in an area where life once

existed but has been destroyed or abandoned

Examples: after a forest fire, after land has stopped being farmed

Pioneer species

The first species to colonize an area

Examples:For Primary succession: lichen and moss

For secondary succession: weeds, grasses, herbs and small shrubs

Climax species

the final, highest stage of ecological development in an

area

a relatively stable community that is

environmentally balanced

Learning Targets Chapter 4

Lesson 1

An organism gets the things it needs to _________, __________ and _________________ from its _____________________.

___________________ (living) and _____________________ (nonliving) factors make up a habitat.

The levels of organization in an ecosystem are the ___________________, __________________ and ____________________.

Lesson 2

Each of the organisms in an ecosystem fills the energy role of ________________________________, _________________________ or ____________________________________.

___________ moves through an ecosystem when one animal eats another.

The most energy is available at the ______________ level of the energy _______________. As energy moves up the pyramid, each level has ____________ energy available than the level before.

Lesson 3

The processes of ___________________________ , ________________________________ and ________________________________ make up the water cycle.

The processes by which _______________ and ______________ are recycled are linked. Producers, consumers and decomposers play roles in recycling both.

___________________ moves from the air into the soil into living thins and back into the air or soil.

Lesson 4

The six major biomes are ______________________, _________________________, __________________________,

_________________________, __________________________, and _______________________. The one we live in is the

_______________________________________ biome.

Lesson 5

There are two types of aquatic, or water based ecosystems, ___________________ and ______________________.

Lesson 6

_____________________________, _____________, _______________ and living factors are all means of distributing species.

Other factors such as ________________ barriers, _____________________, and _______________ can limit species dispersal.

Other

The difference between primary succession and secondary succession is _______________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________