Download Levels of Organization in the Ecosystem

Levels of
Organization in the
Ecosystem
7.EC.5A.1 Develop and use models to describe the
characteristics of the levels of organization within
ecosystems (including species, populations,
communities, ecosystems, and biomes).
Levels of Organization in the Ecosystem
SIMPLEST
Each level is defined
by the type and
number of biotic
(organisms) and/or
the abiotic (nonliving) factors present.
COMPLEX
Species
• The individual living
organism
• Organisms of the same
species can reproduce to
make more of that species
› Example – white tail deer
Populations
• All of the individuals of a
given species in a specific
area or region at a certain
time.
• Members of a population
compete for food, water,
space, and mates.
› Example – all of the white
tail deer in South Carolina
Communities
• All the different populations in a specific area or region
at a certain time.
• Communities involve many types of interactions among
the populations.
• Some of these interactions involve the obtaining and
use of food, space, or other environmental resources.
› Example – all of the living organisms (biotic factors)
in the environment with the white tail deer, including
pine trees, grass, squirrels, moss, mushrooms, and
Carolina wrens.
Ecosystems
• One or more communities in an
area and the abiotic factors,
including water, sunlight, oxygen,
temperature, and soil is an
ecosystem.
› Example – all of the living
organisms (biotic factors) in the
environment with the white tail
deer, including pine trees,
grass, squirrels, moss,
mushrooms, and Carolina
wrens as well as all of the
abiotic (non-living) factors such
as rivers, soil, air, and rocks
Biomes
• Individual ecosystems grouped together
according to the climate, the predominant
vegetation, and characterized by adaptations of
organisms to that particular environment.
› Example – the temperate (mild temps)
deciduous (trees shed leaves annually) forest
that the white tail deer lives in.
• The place where an organism lives in order to
obtain its food, water, shelter and other things
needed for survival is called its habitat.
• The particular role of an organism in its
environment including type of food it eats, how
it obtains its food and how it interacts with other
organisms is called its niche.
For example, the niche of a bee is to pollinate
flowers as it gathers nectar for its food.