The Organization of Life Ch4, Section 1: Ecosystems- Everything is Connected Standards: SCSh.7.c, SEV2a, SEV2b What are the components of an ecosystem? 1.Habitat Place where an organism lives Animals and plants are well adapted for the habitat in which they live How many habitats are in this picture? What are the components of an ecosystem? 2.Biotic factors Living & once living parts of an ecosystem. Ex: plants, animals, dead organisms & parts of organisms 3.Abiotic factors Non-living parts of an ecosystem Ex: air, water, rocks, sand, light, temperature What is the relationship between biotic & abiotic factors? Biotic & Abiotic factors influence each other. Ex: The temperature of water will affect the survival of coral. Ex: Fish excrete nitrogen waste into a pond increasing nitrate levels. What are the levels of life that are studied by ecologists? Organism An individual living thing. Ex: A caribou, a fire ant; a bacterium; a human What are the levels of life that are studied by ecologists? Population All the members of the same species that live in the same place at the same time. Ex: all the caribou in eastern Alaska, all fire ants that live in an ant mound in your backyard. All E. coli that live in your intestine. What are the levels of life that are studied by ecologists? Community Group of various species that live in the same place and interact with each other. Only consists of biotic components Ex: all the trees, moss, caribou, moose, bobcats, beaver, owls, rabbits in this area of the Taiga (Boreal forest) What are the levels of life that are studied by ecologists? Ecosystem Interactions between all biotic AND abiotic components. Ex: The interaction between the stream, oxygen levels in the stream, fish, grizzly bears, plants, moose, eagles, atmosphere, soil What are the levels of life that are studied by ecologists? Biome Collection of similar ecosystems. All areas that have low precipitation, low temperatures, dominated by evergreen trees and acidic soil are characterized as Taiga/Boreal forest.