Understanding Ecology and Ecosystems

Learning Objectives Define ecosystems. Compare Biotic and Abiotic Factors Describe food relationships found in nature.

Ecology

Study of how organisms exist in their environment.

Explains how nature is organized and the roles that each organism plays within its environment

Ecosystem Community of living and non-living

things within an environment. May be large or small and include air,

water, and land Two factors found within an ecosystem:

Biotic Abiotic

Always changing

Biotic Factors Living things found in an

ecosystem. Includes plants & animals.

Also is materials that were once living

Need abiotic factors to live.

Abiotic Factors Non-living things found in an

ecosystem. Include (but not limited to) water,

temperature, type of rock or soil, light, pollutant levels.

Is it biotic or abiotic?

Quia “Quiz”

http://www.quia.com/quiz/244317.html

What is an ecosystem? Write down all of the

differences you observe in this picture.

Are there a number of ecosystems and different organisms thriving in this ecosystem?

What biotic and abiotic components do you see?

Food Relationships in Nature

All living organisms need some type of nourishment to live. usually comes from food.

Food Chain

Order in which organisms obtain their food

Each species has its own food chain.

The Main “Players” Producers

Use energy from the sun to make food

Living thing that makes its own food

Start of all food chains

Largest part of food webs

Consumers Eat other living things

for food to survive

Decomposers Breaks down and feeds on

the remains of once living things

Usu. Bacteria and fungi

Where do humans fit?

http://neuromanagement.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/food-chain.jpg

Food Web Formed by intertwined food chains Interconnection of food chains within

a community. Animals are grouped according to the

types of food they consume. These groups include herbivores,

carnivores, and omnivores.

Herbivore

An animal that eats only plants for food.

Aka – Primary Consumer

Omnivores

Animals that eat both plants and animals.

Consumer

Carnivore

An animal that eats only animals for food.

Consumer

Other “Player” Names Predator

Animal that hunts another for food

Note: Top predators are at the very top of a food chain

Prey The hunted

Parasite Feeds off energy of

other living things

Food Chains and Food Web Review Quia “Quiz” Food Chain

Vocabulary “Rags to Riches”

Food Chain Concepts “Rags to Riches”