Ecosystems and Food Ecosystems and Food ChainsChains

Ms. AngelMs. Angel

EcosystemsEcosystems

• Groups of living things Groups of living things and the environment and the environment they live in make up they live in make up an ecosystem.an ecosystem.

• All living things can All living things can meet their basic needs meet their basic needs there.there.– Ex. Beaver pond, ocean, Ex. Beaver pond, ocean,

forest, parking lotforest, parking lot

CommunitiesCommunities

• Communities are Communities are made up of all the made up of all the populations that populations that live in the same live in the same area.area.– The plants and The plants and

animals that live animals that live together depend on together depend on one another to one another to survive. survive.

PopulationsPopulations

• A group of the A group of the same species living same species living in the same place in the same place at the same time. at the same time. – Ex. Tadpoles, deer, Ex. Tadpoles, deer,

trouttrout

HabitatHabitat

• A habitat that meets A habitat that meets the needs of an the needs of an organism.organism.– Habitats may include Habitats may include

small parts of an small parts of an ecosystem or the entire ecosystem or the entire ecosystem. ecosystem.

– Ex. Birds often use the Ex. Birds often use the entire ecosystem, while entire ecosystem, while a fungi may only need a a fungi may only need a log in the ecosystem to log in the ecosystem to meet its needs. meet its needs.

Animal NichesAnimal Niches

• Animals have a niche or job they Animals have a niche or job they perform in a habitat. perform in a habitat.

• Niche- an animal’s job in its Niche- an animal’s job in its environment, which includes all the environment, which includes all the ways it meets its basic needsways it meets its basic needs– How it gets shelterHow it gets shelter– How It produces youngHow It produces young– How it gets food and water.How it gets food and water.

• What an organism eats is an important part What an organism eats is an important part of its niche because what a living thing eats of its niche because what a living thing eats affects the population around it. affects the population around it. – The sun is the main source of energy for all living The sun is the main source of energy for all living

things. things. – Animals do not get their energy directly from the Animals do not get their energy directly from the

sun, but they eat plants, which use sunlight to sun, but they eat plants, which use sunlight to make food. make food.

– Some animals eat other animals that eat plants. Some animals eat other animals that eat plants.

Food ChainsFood Chains

• Food chain- a term used to describe Food chain- a term used to describe the way energy moves through an the way energy moves through an ecosystem. ecosystem.

• Food chains have 3 levels: Food chains have 3 levels: – Level 1 – ProducersLevel 1 – Producers– Level 2 – ConsumersLevel 2 – Consumers– Level 3 – DecomposersLevel 3 – Decomposers

Level 1 - ProducersLevel 1 - Producers

• Green plants and Green plants and some protists and some protists and monerans are monerans are producers.producers.

• Producers make Producers make their own food their own food using energy from using energy from the sun. the sun.

Level 2 ConsumersLevel 2 Consumers

• Consumers make Consumers make up the next level of up the next level of energy transfer. energy transfer.

• Consumers eat Consumers eat other living things other living things for energy. for energy.

Level 3 DecomposersLevel 3 Decomposers

• Decomposers eat Decomposers eat dead animal dead animal remains or animal remains or animal waste. waste.

• They return They return nutrients to the soil nutrients to the soil for plants to use as for plants to use as the cycle begins the cycle begins again. again.

• Snails eat algae and Snails eat algae and when the snail dies, when the snail dies, fungi break down its fungi break down its body.body.

• Blueberry Bushes grow in Blueberry Bushes grow in sunny areas at the edge of sunny areas at the edge of a forest. Black Bears eat a forest. Black Bears eat the blueberries and bacteria the blueberries and bacteria in the soil decompose the in the soil decompose the bear’s waste.bear’s waste.

Energy PyramidsEnergy Pyramids

• Energy pyramids are diagrams that show Energy pyramids are diagrams that show how much food energy is passed from one how much food energy is passed from one organism to another along the food chain.organism to another along the food chain.– The base represents producers, which have the The base represents producers, which have the

most energy to pass on.most energy to pass on.– The other levels represent consumers.The other levels represent consumers.– As energy is transferred up the pyramid, it is As energy is transferred up the pyramid, it is

lost. lost. – Only about 10% of energy is passed to the next Only about 10% of energy is passed to the next

level.level.

Energy PyramidEnergy Pyramid

Food WebsFood Webs

• A food chain shows one pathway for A food chain shows one pathway for energy from organism to organism in energy from organism to organism in an ecosystem, but most animals get an ecosystem, but most animals get energy from more than one source.energy from more than one source.– Food web – A diagram that shows how Food web – A diagram that shows how

these food chains connect and overlap.these food chains connect and overlap.

Causes of ChangeCauses of Change

• Some changes affect other organisms.Some changes affect other organisms.• As animals eat plants or other animals, they As animals eat plants or other animals, they

reduce the number of organisms in their reduce the number of organisms in their habitat. habitat.

• When there are too many animals in a When there are too many animals in a population, food may become scarce and population, food may become scarce and some animals may die of starvation or move. some animals may die of starvation or move.

• Some changes affect nonliving parts of an Some changes affect nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Worms and lichens break down ecosystem. Worms and lichens break down soil and rock. soil and rock.

• IN TIME, NATURE BALANCES ITSELF.IN TIME, NATURE BALANCES ITSELF.

What did you learn?What did you learn?

1.1. What is the difference between a What is the difference between a population and a community?population and a community?

2.2. What type of organism breaks down the What type of organism breaks down the remains of dead plants and animals?remains of dead plants and animals?

3.3. How can one organism help control the How can one organism help control the population of another organism?population of another organism?

4.4. What could happen to an ecosystem that What could happen to an ecosystem that had mice if cats were added to it?had mice if cats were added to it?

5.5. Which of the following is a producer?Which of the following is a producer? A. Fox B. Chicken C. Fungus D. GrassA. Fox B. Chicken C. Fungus D. Grass