Download Ecosystems Test Alert

Ecosystems Test Alert
The science test on the Ecosystems Unit will be on Friday, October 10th. Students
should be able to do the following:
● Describe the process of photosynthesis.
● Identify familiar organisms as part of a food chain and describe their feeding
relationships within the chain.
● Describe the basic requirements for all living things to maintain their existences.
● Describe positive and negative effects of humans on the environment.
● Describe producers, consumers, and decomposers.
● Identify the components of a healthy ecosystem: space, water, living things, food,
and shelter
Vocabulary to Know
Biome: a large-scale community of organisms shaped by common environmental conditions,
such as patterns of climate and geology. Examples of different types of biomes found
throughout the world: tundra, grassland, desert, temperate forest, etc.
Ecosystem: A community that includes all of the living and non-living things found in a
certain area.
Producer: An organism that can make its own food through the process of photosynthesis.
Consumer: An organism that feeds on other organisms or organic matter because it cannot
make its own food.
Habitat: A place that is natural for an organism to live
Biotic: Things that are living, were once living, or are a product of something living.
Abiotic: Things that are non-living.
Pollution: Anything that spreads harmful or unpleasant substances into the air, water, or
ground.
Photosynthesis: A process by which green plants and blue-green algae in the presence of
light make food out of carbon dioxide and water.
Shelter: A place where an animal lives that is suited for their survival.
Energy Chain: Energy passed from species to species, forming a food chain.
Energy Source: The main energy source in a food chain, the Sun.
Carnivore: A meat-eating organism, such as a weasel or a fox.
Herbivore: A plant-eating organism, such as a mouse or a prairie dog.
Omnivore: An animal that eats both plants and meat, such as a coyote.
Decomposer: An organism that feeds on and breaks down dead animals and plants and
turns them into nutrients in the soil.
Adaptation: A skill which helps an animal survive.
Camouflage: Coloration or patterns that help an animal appear to blend it with its
surroundings.
Hibernate: An adaptation where animals extend their period of deep sleep to survive the
winter extremes.
Migrate: An adaptation where animals relocate to find food and warmth to survive colder
temperatures.