Ecosystems

1. Ecosystems

2. Warm-Up 4/8/13 • Energy is all around you… even when you are on spring break! • Using complete sentences – explain a transfer of energy that you witnessed during your break!

3. Ecosystems and Life • Ecology – is the scientific study of how organisms interact with their environment and all other organism that live in that environment.

4. Ecosystems and Life • Ecosystem – is a particular environment and all the living things that are supported by it. Can be as large as a Desert Can be as small as a Pond

5. What makes up an ecosystem? • All the living and nonliving things that make up an area. Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors

6. Biotic Factors in an ecosystem • Plants – are an important source of food in any ecosystem. They also have an effect on temperature and atmospheric gases. • Animals – are important to ecosystems for they can be ever changing the environment in which they live.

7. Biotic Factors in an ecosystem 1.) What are the Biotic factors in this ecosystem? 2.)How do the living factors in this ecosystem depend on one another?

8. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem • Physical factors – you can see or feel, such as the temperature or the amount of water or sunlight. • Chemical Factors – the minerals and compounds found in the soil and whether the ecosystem’s water is fresh or salty.

9. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem • Temperature • Affects the type of plants that will grow there • The plants available for food and shelter, determine the types of animals that can live there. Musk Oxen – can survive in very cold temps. due to its thick coat of fur. Water Buffalo – survives in warmer temps. due to its light thin coat.

10. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem • Light • The strength of sunlight and the amount of sunlight available in a ecosystem determine the types of plants and animals in that environment. Moss – can survive with little light as it is often found on the floors of forest. Cacti – can survive in environments where light is very strong.

11. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem • Soil • Different ecosystems have different make up in their soil, this affects what type of plants and animals that can survive in this environment. Sandy soil – do not hold water well, allows water to flow easily through it. Clay soil – will not allow water to move through easily at all

12. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem • Water • The amount of water available in an ecosystem depends on what life can be found there. • All living things need water to survive. Rainforest – the wettest of all land ecosystems, are the most diverse. Desert – the driest land ecosystems, have far fewer types of plants and animals.

13. ABiotic Factors in an ecosystem 1.) What are the Abiotic factors in this ecosystem? 2.)How do the nonliving factors in this ecosystem depend on one another?

14. Warm – Up 4/09/13 • These are the parts of an ecosystem • Animals • Plants • Soil • Water • Light • Microorganisms • On the next available page in your notebook, using all of the parts of an ecosystem, illustrate a representation of an ecosystem.

15. 4/09/13 • Choose which Matter cycle you would like to reconstruct. • Nitrogen Cycle • Carbon Cycle • Water Cycle • Using the book or outside resources, construct a POSTER of your cycle using arrows, pictures, and key terms. • You have 1 DAY to complete your group poster! • Gallery Crawl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_ru5UnrUTs

16. Warm – Up 4/10/13 • What are the three physical forms of water in the water cycle? • What is the natural process that brings carbon into living mattter? Respiration is a process that releases that carbon. *Hint:Think Carbon Cycle*

17. Energy and Ecosystems • Energy Pyramid – a model that shows the amount of energy available at each feeding level of an ecosystem. The available energy gets smaller and smaller the farther up the pyramid you go!

18. Producers • Is an organism that captures energy and stores it in food as chemical energy. • How does Energy enter into the ecosystem? • What process is this? • Job of Producers: Is to make energy available to all the other living parts of an ecosystem. • Producers Job – make energy available to all the other living parts of an ecosystem.

19. Producers • Plants are the most common producers found in land ecosystems. • Photosynthetic bacteria and algae are the most common producers found in water ecosystems.

20. Primary Consumers • Organisms that get their energy by eating producers! • What is the relationship between a producer-consumer in terms of energy? • First link between the producers ands the rest of the consumers in an ecosystem.

21. Primary Consumers • Land – Rabbits, Antelopes, Grasshoppers, Caterpillars, Insects, Horses, Cows, Deer • Water -Small fish, eel, snail, Water Beetles, Turtles

22. Warm – Up 4/11/13 • Explain how the amount of available energy changes as energy moves up a food pyramid.

23. Secondary Consumers • Secondary consumers eat primary consumers and will sometimes also eat producers. Land – Frogs, Snakes, Birds, Venus Fly trap, Spider Water – Tuna, dolphins, big sea turtles, striped bass

24. Tertiary Consumers • A carnivore at the topmost level in a food chain that feeds on other carnivores; an animal that feeds only on secondary consumers. Land – Lion, Humans, Wolves, Bears, Tigers , Hawks Water – Alligator, Bigger Fish, Sharks, Whales

25. Decomposers • Are organisms that break down dead plant and animal matter into simpler compounds • “Clean Up Crew”

26. Food Web • A model of the feeding relationships between many different consumers and producers in an ecosystem.