ecosystems

• Ecosystem


  The natural environment made up of rock, soil, vegetation, living creatures, air and water
• Different ecosystems


  • Rainforest ecosystem
  • Ocean ecosystem
  • Hot Desert ecosystem
  • Cold Desert ecosystem
• Abiotic aspects


  Habitats made up of rocks, soil, water, air etc.
• Biotic factors


  Living things made up of biological organisms (Biomass)
• Biome


  Large ecosystems such as a Tropical Rain Forest
• Ecosystems


  • Depend on the flow of energy
  • Depend on the recycling of nutrients
• Energy flows


  1. Photosynthesis

  2. Producers

  3. Herbivores

  4. Carnivores

  5. Decomposers

  6. Food chain
• Energy flows and Nutrient Recycling

  1. Transpiration

  2. Respiration

  3. Consumption

  4. Decomposition
• Producers, Primary Consumers, Secondary Consumers

  • Producers
  • Primary Consumers
  • Secondary Consumers
• Ways humans can harm ecosystems


  • Cutting down trees (deforestation)
  • Polluting the environment (land, air and water)
  • The use of fertilizers
  • Building roads through the countryside and/or forests
  • Unsustainable hunting
• The Maltese Islands are surprisingly rich in biodiversity
• There are over 4,500 species of flora and fauna in the Maltese Islands
• Maltese ecosystems


  • Woodland ecosystem
  • Maquis ecosystem
  • Garigue ecosystem
  • Steppe ecosystem
• Maltese ecosystems can change into other ecosystems without human interference
• Maltese ecosystems


  • Woodland
  • Maquis
  • Garigue
  • Steppe
  • Saline Marshland
  • Sand Dunes
  • Fresh water springs
• Garigue


  A common type of ecosystem in Malta known as Xagħri, found on rocky land with very few soil deposits, with drought resistant and aromatic plants like Wild Thyme (Sagħtar), resistant to grazing
• Woodland


  The most common type of Mediterranean vegetation, containing trees like Evergreen Oak (Ballut), Aleppo Pine (Żnuber), the richest Maltese ecosystem
• Maquis


  Contains trees like Carob (Ħarrub) and Olive (Żebbuġ) with open spaces in between, drought resistant and can withstand long periods of no rainfall, also contains shrubs
• Steppe


  Once either garigue or maquis-type ecosystem degraded by human activity, commonly contain grass and shrubs, found on clay slopes and rocky terrain, grasses easily attach to clothes and socks for seed dispersal
• Saline Marshland


  Found in coastal areas that fill up with rainwater and sea water, known as Ilma Salmastru, example is Għadira Nature Reserve
• Saline Marshlands are home to the Mediterranean Killifish (Bużaqq), small fish living in saline lakes, marshes, and coastal saline lagoons
• Some Saline Marshlands were drained and built up, like Marsa Sports Grounds
• Freshwater Ecosystems


  Perennial water springs found in some valleys like Baħrija Valley, San Martin Valley, and Wied tal-Lunzjata, endangered due to over-extraction of water, home to the endangered Freshwater Crab
• Perched Aquifer


  Body of fresh water above impermeable clay deposits
• Mean-Sea-Level Aquifer


  Convex lens-shaped fresh water body at mean-sea-level above denser salt water
• Sand Dune Ecosystems


  Remains found in places like Ramla l-Ħamra, Għadira Bay, Ġnejna and Golden Bay, low humps of sand kept together by vegetation adapted to withstand sea salt, damaged by coastal development and human activity
• According to a recent study, Maltese Ecosystems and Biodiversity are the most at risk on Earth