Ecosystems

• Ecosystem


  A biological community of interactions between all living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) things in a particular area
• Why is studying the environment important?
• Life


  It can be hard to define what 'Life' is
• Life on Earth


  • Plants
  • Animals
  • Bacteria
• Not all regions on earth are the same and there are many different Ecosystems
• Ecosystems


  • They are very complex they involve many organisms and their interactions different Abiotic & Biotic factors
• Tolerance range


  Each species has a range for each abiotic factor
• Optimum range


  The range within the tolerance range in which a species functions best
• In the living world, every form of life is food for another
• Food chains and webs


  Show how food and energy are passed between species
• In a food chain/web energy only flows ONE way, from a producer to the consumer to the next consumer and so on
• Roles of organisms


  • Producers
  • Consumers
  • Decomposers
• Producers


  First link in the chain, are autotrophs; they usually make their own food by photosynthesis
• Consumers


  Higher up the food chain, are heterotrophs; they obtain their nutrition from consuming other organisms
• Decomposers


  Recycle matter in an ecosystem, convert organic matter into inorganic matter (are fungi and bacteria)
• Food chain


  A food pathway that links different species in a community
• In a food chain, energy and nutrients are passed from one organism to another
• In a food chain, an animal passes on only about 10 percent of the energy it receives
• Food web


  A large network of interconnected food chains
• Trophic levels


  • Show different feeding/energy levels
• Organisms in Food Chains & Webs

  • Producers
  • Primary consumers
  • Secondary consumers
  • Tertiary consumers
• Producers


  Make their own food, are known as autotrophs meaning self-feeders
• Producers


  Use the energy from the sun or inorganic chemicals to produce organic molecules that can be used as an energy source
• Producers


  • Plants
  • Chemosynthetic bacteria
• Consumers


  Are heterotrophs meaning other feeders
• Types of consumers


  • Herbivore
  • Carnivore
  • Omnivore
  • Detritivore
• Herbivore


  Eat plants, often also Primary Consumers
• Carnivore


  Eat other animals, may be Secondary or Tertiary Consumers
• Omnivore


  Eat plants and animals
• Detritivore


  Release enzymes to break down organic matter in rotting leaves, dung, even dead animals
• Glossary Terms


  • Ecosystem
  • Community
  • Population
  • Organism
  • Abiotic
  • Biotic
  • Tolerance range
  • Optimal range
  • Energy
  • Food Chain
  • Food Web
  • Trophic level
  • Consumer
  • Producer
  • Decomposer
  • Autotroph
  • Heterotroph
  • Primary consumer
  • Secondary consumer
  • Tertiary consumer
  • Herbivore
  • Carnivore
  • Omnivore
  • Detritovore