Ecosystems. What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is made up of all the living and the nonliving things...
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Ecosystems. What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is made up of all the living and the nonliving things in an area and how those living and nonliving things
What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is made up of all the living
and the nonliving things in an area and how those living and
nonliving things interact with each other. Ecosystems come in a
variety of sizes. They can be as small as a puddle or as large as a
continent. Ecosystems are ever-changing and interdependent.
Slide 3
So what are living and nonliving things? Ecosystems are made up
of both living and nonliving factors. Living factors are called
biotic factors and include animals, plants, fungi, protists and
bacteria. Nonliving factors are called abiotic factors. Abiotic
factors are water, minerals, sunlight, air, climate, and soil.
Slide 4
So what do biotic and abiotic factors mean to an ecosystem?
Biotic and abiotic factors define what an ecosystem will look like,
feel like, and what kinds of organisms can live there. Organisms
rely on the factors for survival. Light, temperature, water, soil,
space for shelter, reproduction, food sources will all determine
what kinds of organisms can live in an ecosystem. All organisms
rely on these factors for survival.
Slide 5
We all gotta eat. Its a fact of life that all living things
need energy to survive. Some organisms eat plants to obtain the
energy their bodies need to survive. These organisms are called
herbivores. Search on the internet and find twenty types of
herbivores. Some living things hunt other living things to survive.
These creatures are called carnivores. Search on the internet and
find twenty types of carnivores. Some eat both plants and other
animals and are called omnivores. Search on the internet and find
twenty types of omnivores. Some living things feed off the remains
of dead plants and animals. These are called scavengers. Find
twenty types of plant or animal scavengers on the internet. Turn
the four lists in to your drawer.
Slide 6
Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers Producers are organisms
such as plants that convert the suns energy to supply the fuel the
organism needs to survive. Producers convert the energy from the
sun to energy for themselves through photosynthesis. Consumers are
organisms that eat plants and/or other animals for survival.
Decomposers are organisms that break down dead plants and animals.
These organisms cycle carbon from organic matter back into the
soil. This makes the soil more have more nutrients for the
producers.
Slide 7
Producers, Consumers, Decomposers Game Go to
http://sciencebitz.com/?page_id=1202 and read about producers,
consumers and decomposers. Take notes in your
notebook.http://sciencebitz.com/?page_id=1202 Go to
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/a
nimals/kidscorner/games/producersconsumer sgame.htm
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/a
nimals/kidscorner/games/producersconsumer sgame.htm Play the game a
few times until you get them all correct.
Slide 8
So, how do these producers, consumers, and decomposers work
together? Producers, consumers and decomposers work rely on each
other for survival. They form a chain which links them together. If
one part of the chain is broken, the whole system is interrupted.
We call this system a food chain and it is made up of producers,
consumers and decomposers the abiotic factors in an
environment.
Slide 9
How does the food chain actually work? A food chain is the path
of energy in food from one organism to another. The producers
(mostly plants) grow and become food for the consumers. The
consumers eat the producers and some consumers eat other consumers.
The decomposers break down dead matter (plant and animal) and
return nutrients to the soil which helps the producers grow. Those
worms in your yard have a very important job! All food can be
traced back to plants! If one part of this chain is broken, the
whole chain is disrupted.
Slide 10
Food Webs A food web is overlapping food chains. Competition
for food causes food chains to overlap. It shows how one population
can be part of more than one food chain and how each population in
a community relates to all the other populations.
Slide 11
Its always changing Remember that ecosystems are always
changing. Some changes are good for some organisms and bad for
other organisms. When physical factors (light, temperature, water,
soil, shelter space, food source) changes some organisms survive,
others move to new locations, others move in to the transformed
(changed) environment, and some die.
Slide 12
Think about it. On a sheet of paper, describe what would happen
if there was a drought and there was a decrease in the population
of the producers. Be sure to explain what would happen to both the
consumers and the decomposers. If plants or prey (hunted animals)
become scarce, their predators may move to a new area. What will
happen to the ecosystem the predators move into?
Slide 13
Food Chain Game Go to
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/fr
ogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm and play the game.
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/fr
ogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm Take notes of what you learn about
food chains in your notebook.
Slide 14
Habitat Game In pairs, you will play the Habitat Game.
Slide 15
Think about it. On a sheet of paper, answer the following
questions. Put these organisms in order in a food chain: frog,
snake, algae, snail. What type of organism (producer, consumer, or
decomposer) are most plants? What type of organism cycles carbon
from organic matter back into the soil? In a forest ecosystem, a
food chain might look like this. Green plants rabbits coyotes
mountain lions If the green plants are destroyed in a forest fire,
what would be the effect on the organisms in the food chain? A
grassland food chain might look like this: grass mouse snake hawk
If all the snakes are removed from the ecosystem, how will this
affect the populations of hawks and mice? A tropical rainforest
supports a wide variety of plants. What does the ecosystem gain by
having a wide variety of producers?
Slide 16
Two Major Types There are two major types of ecosystems.
1.Terrestrial: Terrestrial ecosystems are land based ecosystems.
2.Aquatic: Aquatic ecosystems are water based ecosystems.
Slide 17
What are the different types of ecosystems? Your world is
divided into 6 major kinds of terrestrial ecosystems. These 6 kinds
of ecosystems are called biomes. 1.Desert 2.Tundra 3.Grassland
4.Deciduous Forest 5.Taiga 6.Tropical Rain Forest
Slide 18
Desert: Land of Little Rain
Slide 19
Where are deserts located and how much rain do they get? Of all
the biomes in the world, the desert biome has the driest climate.
Desert biomes are found at middle latitudes. The largest deserts
are found in North Africa, southwestern North America, the Middle
East, and Australia. Rainfall in the desert often totals only a few
inches a year and in some regions, there is no rainfall at
all!
Slide 20
What is desert soil like? Desert soils are often salty because
what little rain that does fall is immediately evaporated, leaving
salt and other minerals behind.
Slide 21
Desert Plants Since rainfall is so scarce, plants in the desert
are drought-tolerant. This means they can survive without water for
long periods of time. Desert plants usually have waxy leaves, large
root systems and water storage systems. These adaptations help
desert plants cope with not having much water. Desert plants
include cacti, yucca, bunch grass, shrubs, and very few trees.
Slide 22
Desert Plants
Slide 23
Desert Animals The animals that live in the desert have special
adaptations too. These adaptations help them survive with little or
no readily available water. Many desert animals are light-colored.
The desert animals use this light-coloring to help camouflage them
from predators. Desert animals are also more active at night and
around dawn and dusk. This allows them to escape the scorching heat
during the day. During the day, desert animals often lay in burrows
or under rocks. Desert animals include rodents, snakes, lizards,
tortoises, insects, and some birds. Camels, gazelles, antelope,
small foxes, gerbils, and kangaroo also live in the desert.
Slide 24
Desert Animals
Slide 25
Slide 26
Tundra: The Frozen Praire
Slide 27
Where are tundras located and what is the climate like? Tundra
biomes are found in the high northern latitudes of the earth. They
are found only in the Antartic. A tundra biome has very cold,
harsh, long winters. Temperatures here often reach about -50
degrees F! The summer in a tundra biome is very short and the
temperatures are cool.
Slide 28
What is the soil like in a tundra biome? Their soil is poor in
nutrients. The top few inches of soil are always frozen. This is
called permafrost.
Slide 29
Tundra Plants Because of the very cold conditions, it is
impossible for trees to grow in the tundra. Plants in the tundra
are grasses, wildflowers, mosses, and small shrubs.
Slide 30
Tundra Plants
Slide 31
Tundra Animals Even though it is so cold in the tundra, many
animals have adaptations to help them survive in the cold climate.
Animals in the tundra usually have very thick fur to help keep them
warm. Animals where the land is covered with ice are often white.
This helps them to blend in with their surroundings so they can
hunt easier and hide from predators. Animals in the tundra include:
caribou, artic hare, mink, weasel, wolf, brown bear, reindeer,
hawks, polar bear, walrus, arctic fox.