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 _______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________