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Ecosystems Unit- Student Reference Notes
All Living Organisms Must Do the Following . . .
G – Grow and develop through a life cycle
R – Reproduce more of its species
R - React to changes in its environment
E – Energy is taken in and used
W – Waste is given off
Examples of unique life cycles:
Both butterflies and frogs undergo
metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the process
of a young animal’s body changing significantly
into its adult form.
Butterfly Life Cycle
Frog Life Cycle
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The Animal Kingdom
All animals are classified as either vertebrates or invertebrates.
Invertebrates: Animals that don’t have a backbone
Examples: snails, ants, spiders, butterflies, jellyfish
Vertebrates: Animals that have a backbone
Vertebrates can be cold-blooded or warm-blooded:
Warm Blooded animals try to keep their bodies at a constant temperature. They generate
their own heat when in a cooler place, and cool themselves when in a hotter place.
Cold Blooded animals take on the temperature of their surroundings. They are hot when the
environment is hot and cold when the environment is cold.
Animal
Class
Mammals
Type of
blood
Warm
Reptiles
Cold
Fish
Cold
Amphibians Cold
Birds
Warm
Characteristics
Examples
All mammals give birth to live young,
and nurse their young with milk. They
use lungs to breathe air. They are the
only animals that grow hair.
Most reptiles live on land, and most lay
eggs. Reptiles are covered in scales,
hard leathery skin, or scales. They
regulate their body temperature by
seeking or avoiding the sun's heat.
Fish breathe using gills, which draw
oxygen from the water and into the
bloodstream. Most reproduce by laying
eggs.
Amphibians start life in the water and
have gills. They develop lungs as they
get older and also go on land. They
have thin skin that allows air to pass
through.
Birds reproduce by laying eggs. All
birds have feathers. Birds have wings.
Most use their wings to fly but others,
like ostriches and penguins, are
grounded.
Humans, Lions, Horses,
Wolves, Rabbits, Dogs,
Whales, Dolphins
Crocodiles, Snakes, Lizards,
and Turtles
Sharks, Fish, Rays, Eels,
Sea Horses
Frogs, Toads, Salamanders
Ostrich, Penguin, Chickadee,
Eagle, Owl
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The Plant Kingdom
The Parts of a Plant
Roots – Absorb water, nutrients, and minerals from the
soil; Help anchor the plant in the soil
Stem – Transports water and nutrients throughout the
plant; Helps support the plant
Leaves – Absorb the sunlight that is used for
photosynthesis to make food for the plant
Flower – Produces the fruit where the seeds are held to
produce new plants; the reproduction part of a plant
Seed – Contains an embryo of a new plant. Seeds are
dispersed (spread) by wind, water, animals, and humans.
Fruit – Protects and holds the seeds
*Photosynthesis – The process of plants making food from sunlight, carbon
dioxide, and water
The Life Cycle of a Plant
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Seeds are
planted by
people or
scattered by
wind, water,
and animals.
Seed begins to
germinate.
Seed coat splits
and plant
sprouts.
Seedling
begins to
mature and
roots, stem,
and leaves
develop.
Flowers begin
to bloom.
Seeds or fruit
begin to
develop.
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Ecosystems
An ecosystem is formed by all of the living and nonliving things that interact together in an
environment. Living things could include animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Nonliving things could
include soil, sunlight, water, and climate.
Here are some examples of ecosystems:
Desert:
A place that receives less than 10 inches of rain per year is a desert. Typically, the climate is hot and
dry, but cold deserts also exist.
Examples of organisms adapted to live in the desert:

Cactus plants have needlelike spines that do not let much water escape and long roots
to absorb more water from the ground. Cactus stores water in its large stem, and its
waxy covering reduces the amount of water that escapes into the air.

Camels have extra-long eyelashes and a special eye covering to protect their eyes from
desert sand. They store fat in their humps, which can become an energy source. Their
large, broad feet do not sink into the sand.
Polar Region:
A polar ecosystem is characterized by extremely cold temperatures, lots of ice and snow, and strong
winds. Some polar regions are also deserts because they receive so little rain.
Examples of organisms adapted to live in the polar region:

A polar bear has hairy soles on its feet to insulate its paws and provide traction on ice.
It has a small tail and small ears to reduce the amount of body heat the bear loses. It
has a thick layer of fat, blubber, under its waterproof fur to keep it warm. Its white fur
color helps it to blend in with the snowy surroundings while its black skin absorb heat to
keep it warm

Lichens are a flower that is able to survive drought and cold. They settle in places with
the most sunshine, but also in cracks between rocks so that snowflakes are captured in
the cracked rock and can be absorbed for water. With their dark color, the lichens
absorb more light.
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Rainforest:
A rainforest is a thick, dense jungle habitat. It has tall trees, lots of rainfall, high humidity, and warm
temperatures.
Examples of organisms adapted to live in the rainforest:

Howler monkeys have a very loud call, alerting predators that can’t see them in the
dense trees to stay away. They live in the tops of trees and get most of the water they
need from the food they eat. They very rarely need to climb down to the ground. They
can use their tails to grip branches, like having a fifth limb.

Rafflesia are the largest flowers in the world. They grow on the rainforest floor where
there is little sunlight and have no roots, stems, or leaves. Acting as parasites, they
instead get all of the nutrients and support they need by attaching themselves to other
vines growing nearby. They also have the foul smell of rotting flesh, which attracts
scavenger insects for pollination.
Food Chains
A food chain shows how living things transfer energy from one species to
another within an ecosystem. If one part of a food chain changes or is broken, every
other part is affected.
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Living Things That Are Part of an Ecosystem’s Food Chain
Producers – These are organisms that make their own food. They capture energy from sunlight, and
use it in a process called photosynthesis. All plants are producers.
Consumers – These are organisms that get energy by eating other organisms.
There are 4 main types of consumers:
1. Herbivores – eat only plants and plant products. Some examples are elephants,
deer, insects, gorillas, and cows.
2. Carnivores – eat other animals (meat). Some examples are ladybugs, spiders,
sharks, hawks, and owls
3. Omnivores – eat both plants and animals. Some examples are crows, raccoons,
coyotes, and most humans.
4. Scavengers – animals that feed on the bodies of dead organisms. Some examples
are vultures, termites, and hyenas.
Decomposers – organisms that help to break down and decay dead organisms and the waste of
living organisms – These can be bacteria or fungi - Decomposers use up what scavengers leave
behind.
Predator – a carnivorous animal that hunts, kills, and eats other animals in order to survive.
Prey – an animal that is caught, killed, and eaten by another animal for food
Changes in Ecosystems
An ecosystem and its food chains are delicately balanced. Each part depends on the other parts.
Even a small change can upset the balance and affect the whole ecosystem. For example:




If a drought occurs (a long period of unusually dry weather), plants won’t have enough water to
grow. Animals that eat those plants would have to leave the area or starve.
A forest fire might burn the trees in an area, causing many animals to lose their homes and
have to leave. But, over time, new plants will thrive on the forest ground because the tall trees
are no longer blocking their sunlight. Ash also adds new nutrients to the soil, making it richer.
Humans use part of the land in an area to build a landfill. This reduces the size of the existing
plant and animals’ habitats, and some are forced to move away. Pollutants from trash leak
into the ground water, and plants and animals die.
Too much fishing takes place in one area of water, causing a large decrease in the fish
population. Animals that eat the fish don’t have enough food. They move away or starve.
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How Are Traits and Behaviors Passed Along in Living Things?
Adaptation – Structures and behaviors that help organisms survive in their
surroundings
Inherited Traits – Traits that are passed from parents to offspring
Example: A baby elephant inherits the traits of having four sturdy legs, two big
floppy ears, and a long trunk from its parents.
Instinctive Behavior – A behavior that an animal inherits from its parents
Example: Salmon make a difficult journey, traveling upstream, to return to their
birth place to lay their eggs.
Structural Adaptation – A body part that does a certain job for an organism
Example: A hawk has sharp claws for killing prey.
Behavioral Adaptation – A specific behavior that helps an organism survive that may
or may not be inherited
Example: Squirrels gather extra food and store it for the winter.
Learned Behavior – A behavior that an animal develops by observing other animals
or being taught, not by inheriting it
Example: A dog can learn to sit or roll over.
How Do Animals Adapt to their Ecosystem?
Changing Bodies
Evolution -This is a long process during which the body of an animal changes slowly over
generations. Species are always evolving. Over millions of years, these changes allow the
animal to adapt to its habitat.
Adapting to the Seasons
Insulation - In the winter some animals grow more fur or hair, called insulation, to adapt to the
colder weather.
Shed - When the warmer seasons come, animals lose, or shed, their added fur.
Hoard - Some species have learned to store, or hoard, extra food for the times when it is not
easily available. For example: squirrels gathering acorns
Hibernation - Some animals go into a deep sleep rather than storing or finding food for the
winter.
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Taking a Long Trip
Migration - Some species travel from one place to another when the seasons change. Many
birds, whales, fish, and deer migrate to different habitats to adapt to the changing seasons.
Some migrate in order to find food; others need a warmer climate.
Skein - This is the “V” formation that birds fly in when migrating. It creates an air pattern that
allows the birds in the back of the pack to use less energy. .
Staying Warm in a Cold Climate
Blubber - This is a thick layer of fat that helps keep the bodies of seals, whales, and walruses
warm.
Other adaptations:
Polar Bears - The hair of the polar bear is hollow to let in more heat and their skin is black to
better absorb heat.
Arctic Fox - This animal has tiny ears to keep in more of its body heat.
Keeping Cool in a Hot Climate
Storing Water - Desert animals, such as camels, must store moisture in their body. Nearly all
animals release water in their urine, but kangaroo rats have urine that is so dry it is powder
instead of liquid.
Burrows - Desert animals, such as tortoises and toads, hide from the sun during the day in
underground spaces called burrows.
Estivate - During the hottest, driest months some animals go into a deep sleep, similar to
hibernation, to escape the heat.
Adapting to the Dark
Echolocation – This is like Sonar. An animal sends high-pitched sounds that travel long
distances and then bounce back to tell them the size and location of an object ahead. Dolphins
and bats use echolocation.
Singing underwater - Whales sing songs to stay in contact when they cannot see each other.
Tentacles - Some animals use these to find food.
Tapetum - Owls have this layer in their eyes to improve their night vision because any light
that hits the tapetum is reflected back onto the object.
Hiding Out
Camouflage - Colored markings on the body allow animals to blend in with their surroundings.
For example, Arctic Hares are white in the winter and brown in the summer.
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Fooled You
Mimicry - Some animals mimic, or copy, things in their environment to protect themselves
from predators. For example, the animal’s body could look like something in nature, such as a
leaf or a rock. Or the animal might change its behavior and “pretend” to be something it is not.
An opossum “plays dead” to avoid predators.
In their Defense
Body Armor - Some animals have body armor, such as sharp spikes or a protective shell.
Musk - An awful smelling fluid that animals can release to ward off predators. A skunk sprays
musk.
Venom - Poison that an animal injects into another animal using sharp teeth called fangs.
Snakes are often venomous.
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