ecosystem

1. 8-1 “Components of an Ecosystem”8-1 “Components of an Ecosystem”

2. EcosystemEcosystem
 All the living and non-livingAll the living and non-living
things that interact in a particularthings that interact in a particular
area make up an ecosystemarea make up an ecosystem
 A prairie is just one of the manyA prairie is just one of the many
different ecosystems found on Earthdifferent ecosystems found on Earth
 Other ecosystems include: mountainOther ecosystems include: mountain
streams, deep oceans, swamps andstreams, deep oceans, swamps and
dense forests.dense forests.

3. HabitatsHabitats
 Organisms(living things)-live in aOrganisms(living things)-live in a
specific place within an ecosystem.specific place within an ecosystem.
 Organisms obtain food, water,Organisms obtain food, water,
shelter and other things it needs toshelter and other things it needs to
live, grow and reproduce from itslive, grow and reproduce from its
surroundingssurroundings
 The place where an organism livesThe place where an organism lives
and that provides the things theand that provides the things the
organism needs is called its habitat.organism needs is called its habitat.

4. Biotic FactorsBiotic Factors
 An organism interacts with andAn organism interacts with and
responds to both the living andresponds to both the living and
nonliving things in its environmentnonliving things in its environment
 The living parts of an ecosystem areThe living parts of an ecosystem are
called biotic factorscalled biotic factors
 Examples: grass, plants, hawks,Examples: grass, plants, hawks,
ferrets, eagles, worms, fungi, andferrets, eagles, worms, fungi, and
bacteria.bacteria.

5. Abiotic FactorsAbiotic Factors
 The nonliving parts of anThe nonliving parts of an
ecosystem.ecosystem.
 Remember –TWOSSRemember –TWOSS
 TTemperatureemperature
 WWaterater
 OOxygenxygen
 SSunlightunlight
 SSoiloil

6. TemperatureTemperature
 The temperatures of an area determine ifThe temperatures of an area determine if
an organism can live there.an organism can live there.
 Ex: Warm areas you might see palm trees,Ex: Warm areas you might see palm trees,
but not in very cold areas.but not in very cold areas.
 Some animals respond to very hot or verySome animals respond to very hot or very
cold temperatures by altering theircold temperatures by altering their
environment.environment.
 Ex: Prairie dogs line their dens with grassEx: Prairie dogs line their dens with grass
to keep warm.to keep warm.

7. WaterWater
 All living things need water toAll living things need water to
carry out their life processes.carry out their life processes.
 Plants and algae use water,Plants and algae use water,
along with sunlight and carbonalong with sunlight and carbon
dioxide, to make food in thedioxide, to make food in the
process of photosynthesis.process of photosynthesis.

8. OxygenOxygen
 Most living things require oxygen toMost living things require oxygen to
carry out their life processes.carry out their life processes.
 Some organisms obtain oxygen from theSome organisms obtain oxygen from the
air, which is about 20% oxygen.air, which is about 20% oxygen.
 Fish and other water organisms obtainFish and other water organisms obtain
dissolved oxygen from the water arounddissolved oxygen from the water around
them.them.

9. SunlightSunlight
 Necessary for photosynthesis.Necessary for photosynthesis.
 Important for plants, algae andImportant for plants, algae and
other living things.other living things.
 Places that receive little to noPlaces that receive little to no
sunlight-like caves-have only a fewsunlight-like caves-have only a few
organisms that can live their.organisms that can live their.

10. SoilSoil
 A mixture of rock fragments,A mixture of rock fragments,
nutrients, air, water and thenutrients, air, water and the
decaying remains of living things.decaying remains of living things.
 Types of soil influence the kinds ofTypes of soil influence the kinds of
plants that can grow there.plants that can grow there.
 Microscopic organisms such asMicroscopic organisms such as
bacteria live in soil and break downbacteria live in soil and break down
the remains of other living things.the remains of other living things.

11. PopulationPopulation
 All the members of one species in aAll the members of one species in a
particular area.particular area.
 Populations can be as small as aPopulations can be as small as a
blade of grass or as large as theblade of grass or as large as the
whole planet.whole planet.
 Individual members in someIndividual members in some
populations do not interact verypopulations do not interact very
much.much.
 Some populations are verySome populations are very
structured and relate to one anotherstructured and relate to one another

12. SocietySociety
 A society is a closely relatedA society is a closely related
population of animals that workpopulation of animals that work
together for the benefit of the wholetogether for the benefit of the whole
group.group.
 Ex: Honeybees-every member has aEx: Honeybees-every member has a
specific function.specific function.

13. CommunityCommunity
 Most ecosystems contain more thanMost ecosystems contain more than
one type of organism.one type of organism.
 All the different populations thatAll the different populations that
live together in an area make up alive together in an area make up a
community.community.
 To be considered a community, theTo be considered a community, the
different populations must live closedifferent populations must live close
enough together to interact.enough together to interact.

14. Levels of Organization in anLevels of Organization in an
EcosystemEcosystem
 OPCEOPCE
 OOrganism-the smallest unit ofrganism-the smallest unit of
organization, that belongs to aorganization, that belongs to a
population.population.
 PPopulation-other members of its speciesopulation-other members of its species
that belong to a community.that belong to a community.
 CCommunity-different species in anommunity-different species in an
ecosystem.ecosystem.
 EEcosystem-community and abiotic factorscosystem-community and abiotic factors
together.together.

15. Levels of OrganizationLevels of Organization

16. EcologyEcology
 The study of how living thingsThe study of how living things
interact with one another and withinteract with one another and with
their environment.their environment.
 Ecologist are scientists who studyEcologist are scientists who study
ecology. They look at how all theecology. They look at how all the
biotic and abiotic factors in anbiotic and abiotic factors in an
ecosystem are relatedecosystem are related
 Ecologist study how organismsEcologist study how organisms
respond to changes in theirrespond to changes in their