Ecology

1. Ecology Decomposers

2. Review: Producers • Producers are organisms that make their own food using air, sunlight, and water • Such as, green plants and algae

3. Review: Photosynthesis • Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants make their own food using the sun’s energy, water and carbon dioxide. Formula: Sunlight + CO2 + Water (H20)  O2 + Glucose (C6H12O6)

4. What part of the plant is for making food?

5. Photosynthesis • Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts

6. Photosynthesis • Leaves have little openings called stomata • These stomata on the leaves are used for gas exchange

7. Components of a Food Chain • PRODUCERS • SUN 3. CONSUMERS 4. DECOMPOSER

8. Consumers • Consumers cannot make their own food • Consumers are organisms that must eat other organisms (plants or animals) for their food

9. Consumers • What are plant-eating consumers called? -Herbivores • What are meat-eating consumers called? -Carnivores

10. Consumers • What are consumers that eat both plants and animals called? -Omnivores • What are consumers that eat dead plants or deadanimals called? -Scavengers

11. Levels of Consumers • Primary (1°) Consumers = “first eaters” • Secondary (2°) Consumers = “second eaters” • Tertiary (3°) Consumers = “third eaters”

12. Components of a Food Chain • PRODUCERS • SUN 3. CONSUMERS 4. DECOMPOSERS

13. Decomposers • Decomposersare organisms that break down the cells of dead material and recycle the nutrients back into the ecosystem

14. Decomposers • Eventually all food chains end in decomposers

15. Examples of Decomposers 1. Bacteria -very important decomposers -important for recycling nutrients -widely distributed -can break down just about any type of organic matter -a gram of soil typically contains 40 million bacterial cells!

16. Examples of Decomposers 2. Fungi -includes yeast, mold, and mushrooms -primary decomposers of litter in many ecosystems -primary decomposers in forests

17. Examples of Decomposers 3. Worms -various types of worms can act as decomposers -they can break down organic materials and add nutrients to the soil -they can also help loosen the soil so air can circulate -This helps plants grow!

18. What would happen if we didn’t have decomposers? • The earth would be covered in a layer of dead flies almost 20 feet deep! • Decomposers recycle the nutrients back into the ecosystem • If we didn’t have decomposers, producers would not get their nutrients and would die • If we didn’t have producers (plants), all living things would die!

19. What would happen if we didn’t have decomposers? • Think of pop can recycling.  When pop cans are recycled, they are melted down into aluminum and sent off to processing plants so the metal can be used again •  If we did not recycle pop cans, we would run out of aluminum in the future •  Likewise, if nutrients were not recycled in our environment they would not be available to other organisms

20. Conditions that promote decomposers • Warmth • Lots of air • Lots of food • Moisture (water) • Darkness

21. But what is the difference between Scavengers and Decomposers? • Scavengers eat dead material that they find (they have mouths). E.g. Vulture • Decomposers “break down” the cells of dead material.E.g. Mold

22. Review: Label the producers, consumers, decomposers, and the levels of consumers

23. Review: Label the producers, consumers, decomposers, and the levels of consumers

24. Review:Label the producers, consumers, decomposers, and the levels of consumers

25. Exit Slip