Ecosystems

• Ecosystem definition


  A natural unit made up of living and nonliving things
• Types of ecosystems

  • rainforest
  • Desert
  • Pond
  • Woodland
  • Lake
• Naturally occurring changes

  1. Pond plants could die increasing silt in the pond
  2. Plants could dry out and die meaning less food
  3. Drought means fish are more exposed to predators
• Man-made changes

  1. Cutting down trees less shelter
  2. Hedge rose separate animal and ruin migration
  3. Pumping out water means less habit leading to death ( irrigation )
• Global ecosystem- polar

  • Arctic/Antarctic
  • Climate is low temperature below 50°C
  • Dry land
  • Animal include polar bears
• Global ecosystem- tundra

  • Greenland ice sheet
  • Climate is low reaching -20°C
  • High snowfall
  • Brief summers
  • Animals include Arctic fox, Arctic hare
  • Vegetation includes moss trees bushes
• Global ecosystem- temperate grassland

  • North of equator Not including coasts
  • Climate is 30 to 40°C , dry summers but cold winters
  • Animals include grazing animals (cows, sheep)
• Global ecosystem- tropical grassland

  • 15-30° north and south of the equator
  • Climate is wet and hot which creates wildfires and thunderstorms
  • Animals include irons and leopards
• Global ecosystems- Mediterranean

  • 40-45° north of equator South Africa, West Australia
  • Climate is dry summers and hot but mild winters
  • Vegetation trees and fruit trees
• Global ecosystems- deciduous and coniferous forest

  • 50-60° north of equator Canada and Scandinavia
  • Climate is cold with brief summers
  • Vegetation includes trees
• Living ( biotic )

  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Bacteria
• Non-living ( abiotic )

  • Soil
  • Light
  • Temperature
  • Climate
  • Air
• Producer definition


  Convert energy from the environment into sugars
• Consumer definition


  They get the energy from sugars produced from produces
• Decomposer definition


  They break down organic matter return nutrient into the soil
• Interdependence definition


  But idea that everything in nature is connected and depends on every other thing
• Food chain definition


  Living things in ecosystem are linked together by flows or energy as things eat each each other
• Food web definition


  They show all connections between producers and consumers in a more complex way. it shows several food chains linked
• Biomes definition


  A large region of earth that has a certain climate and certain types of living things
• Biomass definition


  Total quantity or weight of organisms in one area
• Importance of decomposers

  1. Release nutrience into the soil
  2. Provides growth for trees
  3. Consumers can eat the leaves off the tree
• Adaptation definition


  The evolutionary process whereby an organism becomes better able to live in its habitat or habitats