Glossary TermsGlossary Terms

Sustainable EcosystemsSustainable Ecosystems

What is an Ecosystem?What is an Ecosystem?

What makes up an ecosystem?

EcosystemEcosystem

• interactionsinteractions between the between the bioticbiotic (living(living) organisms and the ) organisms and the abioticabiotic (non-living(non-living) materials and how ) materials and how materialsmaterials and and energyenergy are are transferredtransferred. .

EcosystemEcosystemi)i)BioticBiotic• livingliving or or deaddead

organisms; made organisms; made up of up of cellscells. .

• examples: examples: plants, plants, animalsanimals

ii) Abioticii) Abiotic• non-livingnon-living

materials; basic materials; basic unit is unit is elementselements also includes also includes energyenergy

• examples: examples: plastic, plastic, oxygen, water, oxygen, water, rocks, light, heatrocks, light, heat

ProducersProducers vs vsConsumersConsumers• turn radiant turn radiant

((light)light) energy energy intointo chemical (food)chemical (food) energyenergy by the by the processprocess of of photosynthesisphotosynthesis

• examples: examples: plants, plants, algae, bacteriaalgae, bacteria

• can not makecan not make their their own own foodfood ((chemical chemical energyenergy) )

• examples: examples: cows, cows, fish, birdsfish, birds

ConsumersConsumers• Primary ConsumerPrimary Consumer

– FirstFirst consumingconsuming organism organism in a food chainin a food chain

– SecondSecond trophic trophic levellevel– Examples:Examples: herbivores or herbivores or

omnivoresomnivores• Secondary ConsumerSecondary Consumer

– Second consumingSecond consuming organism in a food chainorganism in a food chain

– Third trophic Third trophic levellevel– ExamplesExamples: : carnivores or carnivores or

omnivoresomnivores• Tertiary ConsumerTertiary Consumer

– Third consumingThird consuming organism organism in a food chainin a food chain

– Fourth trophicFourth trophic levellevel– ExamplesExamples: : carnivores or carnivores or

omnivoresomnivores

EcosystemEcosystem

• Trophic levelTrophic level– feeding levelfeeding level

AnimalsAnimals

• i) Herbivoresi) Herbivores– Only eat producersOnly eat producers

• ii) Carnivoresii) Carnivores– Only eat consumersOnly eat consumers

• iii) Omnivoresiii) Omnivores– Eat producers and Eat producers and

consumersconsumers

Put it all together!!!Put it all together!!!

• Food ChainFood Chain – starts with a starts with a producerproducer and and only connectsonly connects

with with single linkssingle links to the to the consumersconsumers..

• Now it is time to create your own!!Now it is time to create your own!!

Last but not least!Last but not least!• ScavengersScavengers

– FeedFeed on on bodiesbodies of of larger animalslarger animals– Examples: Examples: vultures; bold eagles; ravens; vultures; bold eagles; ravens;

hyenas; some ants and beetleshyenas; some ants and beetles• DetrivoresDetrivores

– FeedFeed on on bodiesbodies of of smaller dead animalssmaller dead animals and and plantsplants and and dungdung (feces) (feces)

– Examples: Examples: crabs; earthworms; wood beetles; crabs; earthworms; wood beetles; carpenter antscarpenter ants• DecomposersDecomposers

– FeedFeed on any on any remaining dead plantremaining dead plant and and animal matteranimal matter; ; break downbreak down the the cellscells and get the and get the last remaining energylast remaining energy

– Examples: Examples: bacteria; fungibacteria; fungi