Ecology

• A food web consists of a number of interlinked food chains

  
• Ecology - is the study of how plants and animals interact with each other and their environment.
• Habitat - is the place where an organism lives

  e.g grassland,bog,pond,woodland
• Community - is all the different species living together in one area
• Ecosystem -a group of plants,animals and other organisms that interact with each other and the environment. Eg desert,grasslands etc
• Food Chain

  energy flows from one organism to the next (10% of energy is lossed each time)

  Ecosystem

  the main source of energy for every eco system is the sun.
• Food chain - list of organisms eaten by the next one in the chain.

  1st feeding level - producer + plant mostly (Grass).

  2nd Herbivore + consumer (Rabbit)

  3rd Carnivore or omnivore and a consumer (fox).
• Adaptation- special features of an organism that helps it to survive.

  grasses have branched roots - not easily pulled out

  lady bug- warning colour

  Caterpillars - similar colour to plants they feed on - camouflage
• Competition - when organisms “fight” for resources that are in short supply.

  animals compete for space, food and water.

  plants compete for light,space, water and minerals.

  E.g foxes compete for food

  grass and dandelions compete for light
• Food interdependence - living things depend on each other for food.

  producers - green plants that make their own food;grass,nettles,daisies,dandelions Etc.

  consumers - organisms that take in food
• Herbivores - animals that eat only plants. Rabbits,cows,sheep,deer,slugs
• Carnivores are animals that eat other animals.

  e.g foxes,ladybirds
• Omnivores - eat both plants and animals e.g badgers,blackbirds,humans
• Interdependence- all organisms in a habitat depend on other organisms for survival.
• Animals depend on plants - rabbits depend on grass.

  Plants depend on animals - flowers depend on bees for pollination.

  plants depend on each other for shelter.
• Decomposers - organisms that feed on/break down dead plants and animals. ( bettles,wood lice and earthworms).

  they play a significant role in the environment as a return nutrients back to the environment. They release carbon into the soil.
• Pooter- Place tube over an organism And suck in the other tube.

  ‘Net sweep it through long grass
• Beating tray - place under a small tree then shake the plant to dislodge animals
• Pitfall trap- place it in the soil and cover it to prevent rain entering.