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