This document provides an introduction to key concepts in ecosystems and interactions, including definitions of ecosystem, biotic and abiotic factors, and the needs of living things. It describes species, populations, communities, and relationships within ecosystems like predator-prey, competition, and symbiosis. Food chains, webs, and photosynthesis are explained. The document also covers adaptations, succession, and threats to populations from human activities.

1. z
Interactions and
Ecosystems
Unit A

2. z
Introduction
Vocabulary

3. z
Ecosystem: Any place on Earth where living things interact with
other living and non-living things.
Biotic: Living Things Abiotic: Non-living Things
Note: The “bio” part of the word comes from a Greek word that means life, and the “a”
part means not, so biotic means living, and abiotic means not living.
Note: Ecosystems may be large, such as an ocean or desert. They may also be small,
such as a puddle or a rotting log.

4. z
Biotic vs Abiotic Labeling
Grass
Biotic
Rocks
Abiotic
Ice
Abiotic
Camel
Biotic
Candle
Abiotic
Bacteria
Biotic
Air
Abiotic
Soil
Abiotic

5. zThe Needs of Living Things:
• Water
• Food/Nutrients
• Energy
• Oxygen
• Suitable Living Conditions (Eg. Temperature)

6. z
Species: A group of organisms that
have the same structure and can
reproduce with one another.
Population: When a number of
individuals from the same species
live together in the same area.
Community: All the populations of
different species that live and interact
in the same place

7. z
Species

8. z
Relationships

9. z
Relationships
Interdependence
- all species are dependent on other
species

10. z
Relationships
Symbiosis: Whenever different living things
live closely together where the relationship
may benefit one or both living things

11. zSymbiotic Relationships
Mutualism: Both species benefit ex: flowers & bees
Commensalism: Only one species benefits and neither
are harmed ex: barnacle & whale
Parasitism: Only one species benefits and the other is
harmed ex: ticks & deer

12. z
Adaptations

13. zAdaptations
How do living things meet their needs to survive? ...
They adapt!
Def: A change in an organism that makes it suited to a
particular environment

14. zAdaptations
Organisms "respond" to their environment:
• Organisms which are best suited will survive and
produce offspring
• over time successful characteristics will be more
common therefore the species will have adapted to
their environment

15. z
Structural Adaptations:
Physical features of an organism like the bill on a bird
or the fur on a bear.
Behavioural Adaptations:
The ways organisms "act" to survive. For example, bird
calls and migration are behavioural adaptations.

16. zList 3 examples of each kind of adaptation
Structural:
• Webbed feet
• Bird beaks
• Fur (winter/summer coats)
Behavioural:
• Hibernation
• Migration
• Instincts

17. z
Relationships
Part 2

18. zPredator - Prey
the interactions between two species where one
species is the hunted food source for the other.
The organism that feeds is called the predator and the
organism that is fed upon is the prey.

19. zPredator - Prey
Example: Blue Whale & Krill

20. zPredator - Prey
Other Examples:
• Coyotes and hares
• Humans and cows
• Caterpillars and leaves
• Hyena and wildebeest
• Box jellyfish and fish
• Cone snail and fish
• Sea urchin and the coral
• Venus fly trap and fly
• Red back spider and insect
• Pitcher plant and fly
• Sundew and bug

21. zCompetitor Relationship
A relationship between species where each species
meets a basic need through the same means. (most
often, the basic need is food)
Example: Hyena's & Leopards compete for food

22. z
Other Examples:
• Fox and coyote: food
• Purple Loosestrife and cattail: habitat
• Grizzly bear and black bear: food & habitat
• Magpie and crow: food
• Finch and warbler: food
• Termite and ant: : food & habitat
• Eagle and owl: food
• Reticulated python and alligator: food
• Butterfly and hummingbird: food
Competitor Relationship

23. z
Food Chain &
Food Web

24. z
Food Chain: Pathway of energy flow from one living thing
to another in an ecosystem
Food Chain

25. z
Food Web: link up of all possible food chains in an ecosystem
Food Web

26. z
A food web is made of food chains!
What is the difference?

27. z
Food Pyramid: A food
chain represented in a
pyramid. Producers at the
bottom and predators get
larger as you got up. You
need more producers, so
their section is largest.
Food Pyramid

28. zProducer: Organism that uses energy to create its own
food
Consumer: Organism that feeds on other living
organisms for energy (Example: all animals)
Decomposer: Organism that breaks down the bodies or
parts of dead plant or animal matter into smaller pieces
(decay) (example: fungi, mushrooms, mould)

29. z
Are these producers, consumers or decomposers?
What is this?
Maggots
decomposer
consumer
producer

30. zHerbivore: Eats plants
Carnivore: Eats animals
Omnivore: Eats plants and animals
Scavenger: Animal that eats the dead remains and
wastes of other animals and plants (example: crows,
ravens, maggots)

31. z
Photosynthesis

32. zPhotosynthesis: the ​process plants use to ​make their
food
light energy + carbon dioxide + water ---> food (glucose) + oxygen
Chlorophyll: A pigment
found in producers that
absorbs light and turns it
into energy
Chloroplasts: Part of the
cell that contains
chlorophyll and where
photosynthesis takes place

33. z

34. zCellular Respiration: The process that consumers use
to create energy through the intake of oxygen and
carbon and releasing carbon dioxide and water
food (glucose) + oxygen ---> carbon dioxide + water + energy

35. z
Changes in the
Ecosystem

36. zChanges in our ecosystems can result from the
following:
• Bio-invasion
• Competition
• Predation
• Weather

37. zBio-invasion:
Bio-invasion: The introduction and rapid expansion of a new
species which is not native to a particular area has a
destabilizing influence on the ecosystem.
Bio-invasive species destabilize their new ecosystems in the following
manner:
• Taking necessary food or nutrients away from the native species.
The native species suffer as a result.
• The species that is introduced may have no natural predators
therefore it's population is not controlled
• Introducing a species not natural to a particular area can cause
more problems than what it solves.

38. zBio-invasion:

39. zCompetition:
Competition: The interaction between organisms,
populations, or species, in which the life cycle depends on
their share of a limited environmental resource.
All living things compete for food, water and habitat.
Because there is a limited amount of resources to go around many
populations of species must compete for access to these basic needs.

40. zCompetition:

41. zPredation:
Predation: The act of one animal killing another animal for
food.

42. zPredation:

43. zPredation:

44. zWeather:
Weather: Temperature, and the amount of precipitation will
affect the growth of plants (the producers) positively or
negatively.
Natural disasters can also impact the populations of
producers:
• Drought
• Floods
• Untimely snowfall
Taz

45. z
Cycles

46. z
Cycle: The movement of a simple substance through the soil, rocks,
water, atmosphere, and living organisms of the earth
Cycles
_
_
_
_
_

47. z
Water Cycle: the cycle of processes by which water circulates
between the earth's oceans, atmosphere, and land.
Water Cycle

48. z
Evaporation: the process of turning from liquid into vapor. Water
evaporates from lakes, oceans, ponds, and rivers creating
rain ​clouds in the sky.
Water Cycle
Condensation: the conversion of a vapor or gas to a liquid. When
the water begins to condense, water droplets (rain) are formed.
Precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground.
Precipitation is the process of the droplets falling back to the Earth.
Transpiration: is the process where plants absorb water through the
roots and then give off water vapor through pores in their leaves.
Percolation: where water travels downwards through the tiny
spaces between rocks and soil particles.

49. zWater Cycle

50. z
Carbon Cycle: The carbon cycle is driven by carbon production and
consumption.
Carbon Cycle

51. z
Carbon Production: Animals give off carbon dioxide when they
exhale. Carbon is also given off by factories, vehicles, and
decomposers.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon Consumption: Plants use carbon dioxide during
photosynthesis to make food and ​oxygen.

52. zCarbon Cycle

53. z
Succession

54. zWhat happens to a bare patch of rocky ground ​over
time?
Does it ​remain ​lifeless; does ​it change ​over time?

55. zOver time we will see plants or plant like ​species
growing.

56. zPioneer ​Species: the ​first species to ​occupy a
barren or ​lifeless piece of ​land
These species are adapted to harsh conditions ​and are able
to live on bare rock, earth, or even ​ground that was scorched
by forest fires

57. zPioneer ​Species: the ​first species (usually plants)
to ​occupy and establish itself in a barren or ​lifeless
piece of ​land
These pioneer species help break down the rocks and help
pave the way for new species to enter the ​ecosystem.
As time goes on the pioneer
species will be ​replaced by
new species. These will
eventually be replaced also.
This pattern of replacement
and ​change is called
Succession

58. zSuccession: The process by which an ecosystem
undergoes predictable changes following
disturbance or initial colonization of new habitat
Two important types of succession:
1. Primary Succession
2. Secondary Succession

59. zPrimary Succession: Occurs in an area where no
life exists due to an absence of soil.
i.e. barren tundra, young volcanic islands, rocks ​left
behind from glaciers

60. z
Secondary Succession: Occurs when a community
has been disturbed or ​destroyed by man or natural
causes.
i.e. After a forest fire, huge hail storm, draught

61. z

62. z

63. z

64. z
Climax Community: The final or stable community in
succession. This stage can continue indefinitely
until a disturbance.

65. z
Hurting
Populations

66. z
The human population continues to grow on Earth.
To ​survive we have to meet our basic needs. We
have ​also become used to having certain luxuries.
Meeting ​our "needs" means using the environment
for food, ​space, and energy production. Each human
"need" has ​an impact on ecosystems and the living
things that ​populate them - including ourselves.

67. z
Threatened: Those species whose numbers are
declining. A species at risk of extinction.

68. zEndangered: Organisms become very rare and are
in ​serious danger of becoming extinct.

69. zExtinct: Organisms that die out completely and do
not ​exist anywhere.

70. zExtirpated: A species that no longer has any living
members in a certain area or region.

71. zExtinct: Organisms that die out completely and do
not ​exist anywhere.
Endangered: Organisms become very rare and are
in ​serious danger of becoming extinct.
Threatened: Those species whose numbers are
declining. A species at risk of extinction.
Extirpated: A species that no longer has any living
members in a certain area or region.

72. zNot just animals can be threatened, endangered,
extinct, or extirpated!

73. z
Biomagnification

74. z

75. z
Migrating birds are very vulnerable because
they visit so many localities.

76. z
Biomagnification: is when a ​chemical gets stronger
as it ​moves up the food chain or food ​web.
Bio – Living
Magnification – To Make Larger

77. z
When mercury enters the food chain, it is concentrated
through:
Water->algae->eaten by invertebrates->fish->humans
=1 x10 x10 x10 x10
=10,000 atoms of Hg!!!
Example: Mercury pollution comes from emissions from coal-
fired power plants, ​waste incinerators, and commercial boilers
and furnaces that burn ​mercury-containing materials.
If you eat enough mercury you may become ill, but what is worse is
that it may affect your future offspring.

78. z

79. z
Due to increased use of
agricultural ​pesticides, the shells of
falcon eggs ​was not as strong and
would rack ​easily under the weight
of the mother ​while incubating the
egg.

80. z
Top 4 theories of why a species may be dying off:
1. Climate Change
2. Pollution
3. Disease
4. Increased Ultraviolet Radiation due to the
thinning of the ozone layer
Name: Golden Toad
Ecosystem: Rainforests in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Problem: Disappeared without a trace in 1988. No one
knows why.
In North America, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, and ​Puerto Rico, there
have been may unexplained amphibian die-offs.
No one knows why, but scientists believe the ​environment is to blame.

81. z
Our Footprint

82. z
When you lift your foot up, you can see the exact
area ​that you have affected.

83. z
Ecological Footprint: The measure of a humans
demands on the earth’s ecosystems.
Mathis Wackernagel and William Reese (of the ​University
of British Columbia) developed the ecological footprint to
determine human impacts on the environment.

84. z
What did they use?
They calculated
• how much energy,
materials, and land
we use AND
• land needed to
dispose of our waste.

85. z
What can we do?
• reduce the amount of water you use.
• reduce the amount of energy you use.
• reduce the amount of materials you use.
• recycle.
• reuse.

86. z
Time to calculate our footprints!