Ecosystems: Everything Is Connected

1. Ecosystems: Everything Is Connected

2. What is an ecosystem? • An ecosystem is all of the organisms living in an area together with their physical environment *Example: Forest, coral reef, even a vacant lot

3. What are the components of the ecosystems pictured?

4. Components of an Ecosystem • An ecosystem is made up of both living and nonliving things. Biotic factors are the living and once living things parts of an ecosystem. *Example: plants, animals, leaves, waste Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts of an ecosystem. *Example: air, water, rocks, sunlight

5. What are the biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystems pictured?

6. An individual living thing. Ex: a fish A group of organisms that can reproduce fertile offspring. Ex: Bluegill fish Members of the same species that live in the same area at the same time. Ex: all the Bluegill in a pond Different species living in the same place and interacting. Ex: insects, frogs, fish, and plants in a pond. Organization of Ecosystems Organism Species Population Community

7. Habitat • A place an organism lives is called a habitat. • Every habitat has specific biotic and abiotic factors that organisms living there need to survive • Organisms tend to well suited to their natural habitat.

8. What are the biotic and abiotic factors of the habitat that allow zebras to survive?

9. Everything is Connected • You can think of an ecosystem as working like a car engine. The engine of a car is made up of hundreds of parts that all work together. • What might happen to the car if one of these parts breaks?

10. Everything is Connected • The same applies to an ecosystem • So, what might happen to an ecosystem if one part is changed or removed?