EcosystemsandBiomesScience Block A

Ecosystem An ecosystem is all the living and non

living things in an environment. 2 main types

Terrestrial ecosystems- land-based ecosystem

Aquatic ecosystem – water-based ecosystem

Ecosystem They contain living things that interact

with each other. This includes how the plants and

animals interact with their non-living environment.

Ecosystems can be large like the Pacific Ocean or as small as a Puddle.

Biomes Biomes are large areas that have similar

plants, animals, and other organisms. Organisms are living things that can

work independently. Biomes are large ecosystems where

plants, animals, people, and insects live in a certain type of climate.

Types of Biomes There are two types of Biomes:

Land Water

Let’s Review http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyja

ms/jams/science/ecosystems/biomes.htm

Deserts An area where little or no life exists

because of a lack of water. soil and air are dry little rain sun shines most of the time temperature hot in day and can be freezing

at night few plants: cactus and bushes snakes, lizards, few mammals like rabbits

Desert Deserts are the driest places on Earth. Plants that are in the desert have to

survive on very little rain. Example: Cactus

https://jr.brainpop.com/science/habitats/desert/

Grasslands Grasslands are areas that are covered with grass

and very few tress. They are also known as prairies (North America)

Savannah (Africa) Hot summers Very cold winters. Have some rain, but not enough for trees to grow. Usually flat, with gently rolling hills. Plants have long slender leaves to allow little

water loss.

Grasslands

Grasslands https://www.brainpop.com/science/earth

system/savanna/

Taiga Taiga or Boreal Forest Largest terrestrial biome evergreen trees: firs and pines long winters floor has dead dry needles and mosses animals: mostly birds, insects, bears,

lynx hold water to create a bog(swamp)

Taiga

Taiga https://www.brainpop.com/science/earth

system/taiga/preview.weml

Tundra low temperatures long winters no trees permafrost: layer of permanently frozen

soil strong winds few small plants grow: lichens and

moss animals: birds, caribou, ox

Tundra

Tundra https://www.brainpop.com/science/earth

system/tundra/preview.weml

Aquatic Biomes All aquatic ecosystems include large

amounts of fresh water or salt water. Oceans Lakes Ponds Rivers Oceans estuaries

Aquatic Biomes http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyja

ms/jams/science/ecosystems/aquatic-ecosystems.htm

Ponds Ponds are smaller bodies of freshwater

that are surrounded by land. Ponds are shallower than lakes. Plants and algae grow along the edges

where the water is the shallowest. Home to: snails, frogs, turtles, ducks,

beavers and fish.

Lakes Large bodies of freshwater surrounded

by land. Lake Norman Fish such as catfish, bass and trout.

Oceans Large body of salt water. Divided by continents. Most organisms live near the shore

where the water is shallow. https://www.brainpop.com/science/earth

system/oceans/

Estuary Body of water in which freshwater from rivers meets

and mixes with salt water from oceans. Is affected by tides. Tide= rise or fall of ocean water. A high tide causes more salt water to flow into an

estuary. Low tide causes salt water to flow out. Animals must be able to live in different amounts of salt

throughout the day. The freshwater that mixes with the salt water is full of

nutrients. The water is Brackish= mix of salt and fresh water.

Abiotic and Biotic Factors Biotic factors are all of the living

organisms in an ecosystem. Examples: plants, animals, fungi, etc.

Abiotic factors are all of the nonliving organisms in an ecosystem.

Biotic and Abiotic factors depend on each other for survival in an ecosystem.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors http://study.com/academy/lesson/abiotic

-factors-of-an-ecosystem-definition-examples-quiz.html

Biotic and Abiotic Factors http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/asset/l

sps07_int_ecosystem/

Producers A Producer is a living thing that makes

its own food. Plants, grasses, shrubs, and trees are

examples of producers. Other examples include algae and

bacteria. Plants use the energy in sunlight to

make or produce their own food.

Consumers Animals and people can’t produce their

own food. A Consumer is a living thing that gets

energy by eating other living things. All animals are consumers.

Consumers There are three types of consumers Herbivores: consumers that eat only or mostly

plants. Mice, rabbits, deer, and insects.

Carnivores: consumers that eat only or mostly animals.

Sharks, walruses, cats, lions, foxes Omnivores: consumers that eat both plants and

animals. Pigs, bears, raccoons, and humans.

Decomposers Living things give off waste material. A decomposer is a living thing that gets

energy by breaking down wastes and dead plants and animals.

Decomposers break the material down into simpler materials which become part of the soil that helps plants grow.

Examples: bacteria and fungi such as mushrooms.

The Flow of Energy in Ecosystems

http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/food-chains.htm

Food Chains A food chain is a model that shows the

path of energy from one living thing to the next.

Food Chains If one kind of organism is removed from

this food chain, all the other organisms in the food chain will be affected.

Food Web A food chain shows the flow of energy

from one living thing to the next. Several food chains connect to form a

food web. http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyja

ms/jams/science/ecosystems/food-webs.htm

Energy Pyramids Energy moves through ecosystems. It goes from small animals to big

animals to the biggest animals. As each animal eats it stores only the

energy it gets from the plant or animal it eats.

The bottom level always contains producers and holds the most energy.

Energy Pyramid Each higher level contains less energy

and fewer living things. The carnivores are at the top of the

energy pyramid and contain least amount of energy.

https://www.brainpop.com/science/energy/energypyramid/preview.weml

Energy PyramidsEach level is reducedby 10 %.

How do organisms compete for and share resources?

Competition Competition= contest among organisms

for resources. All organisms compete in a community

for the resources they need. Animals compete for food, water, and

shelter. Plants compete for food and sunlight.

Examples of Competition Animals may use camouflage to help them sneak

up on animals they hunt. This helps them compete for the limited food resources.

Camouflage= body color or patterns to help them blend in with their environment.

A cheetah’s speed allows it to hunt and capture it’s prey.

Hunting in a pack helps animals compete with other animals to get their food.

Competition helps animals survive in it’s environment.

Symbiosis Symbiosis = a long term relationship between

two different organisms. Symbiosis may benefit both organisms which is

called mutualism. For example, a cleaner fish picks bits of food out

from shark’s teeth. The cleaner fish gets food while the shark gets it’s teeth cleaned.

Another example is the relationship between flowers and bees.

Flowers produces nectar that bees eat and while the bees eat they pollinate the flowers.

Symbiosis https://www.brainpop.com/science/ecolo

gyandbehavior/symbiosis/preview.weml

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0776202.html

Instinct and Learned Behaviors

Instinct An instinct is a behavior that an

organism inherits. Examples of this include migration,

hibernation, building shelters, and hunting prey.

When Canada geese fly south for winter, it is an instinct.

Birds instinctively build nests.

Learned Behavior Learned behaviors are behaviors that

they learn from their parents. These are not inherited. A dog learning to shake and roll over are

examples of learned behaviors.

Inherited Traits A trait is a quality or characteristics of a

living thing. A behavior is a way in which a living thing

acts or responds to its surroundings. You inherited you’re the color of your

eyes and hair, the shape of your nose and having too arms.

If you can roll your tongue you were born with this trait.

Inherited Traits These traits are passed from parents to

offspring. Plants inherit ways of responding to

their surrounding such as roots grow down and toward water. Stems grow up toward the sun.

Acquired Traits Not all traits are inherited. An acquired trait is a characteristic that a

living thing gets during its lifetime. Acquire=to get A scar is a physical trait that is acquired. Many acquired traits are learned behaviors. Example: young chimpanzees learn to use

sticks as tools to get food. You were not born knowing how to speak or

read a book.

Inherited Traits and Acquired TraitsInherited Traits Acquired Traits

A girl has brown eyes. A girl can speak Spanish.

A boy has long fingers. A boy knows how to play the piano.

A plant has red flowers. A plant’s leaves have spots from a disease.

A bird knows how to build a nest.

A bird knows where to find a feeder.

A tree has large, round leaves.

A tree’s trunk is bent by the wind.

A dog has curly fur. A dog knows how to fetch on command.