Download Ecosystems

Chapter 4: Interactions
of Life
Lesson 1: Living
Earth
Ecosystem


An area where organisms interact with one
another as well as with the nonliving parts of
the environment
Each organism interacts with other organisms in
one or more ecosystems
The Biosphere


The part of Earth that supports life
Includes the top portion of Earth’s crust, the
waters that cover Earth’s surface, and the
atmosphere that surrounds Earth
Ecosystem


An ecosystem contains
both biotic and abiotic
factors
A biotic factor


The living parts of an
ecosystem
An abiotic factor

The nonliving parts of an
ecosystem
A Place to Live

Community



All of the populations
living together in
ecosystem
Populations in a
community interact, using
one another for food and
shelter
Population

A group of organisms of
the same species living
together in an ecosystem
Habitat

Habitat
The part of the ecosystem in which an organism
lives
 Each organism has its own habitat
 The habitat supplies everything the organism needs

Niche

Niche
An organism’s role in its environment
 Includes everything an organism needs, as well as
everything it does, as well as how it interacts with its
environment
 Two populations with similar needs can share a
habitat, however, two populations cannot share the
same niche

Habitat
Ecosystem
Ecosystem
Broad and Narrow Niches


Organisms can have broad or narrow niches
Broad Niche


Organisms are able to live in a variety of places and
eat many different foods
Narrow Niche

Organisms that live in one particular habitat, eat only
a certain food, and live only in a particular range of
conditions
Diversity


Refers to the variety of species in an ecosystem,
not necessarily the number of species in an
ecosystem
A population does not have to be big to be
diverse
Which group is more diverse?
Why are some ecosystems more
diverse than others?


Climate and Location
Ecosystems closer to the equator have more
species, so they are more diverse


Coral Reefs, Tropical Rain Forest
Ecosystems closer to the Earth’s poles have
fewer species, so they are less diverse
High Diversity Areas
Tropical Rain Forest
Coral Reef
Less Diverse Areas
Antarctica
Snowy Tundra
Human Interaction

The actions of humans are making ecosystems
less diverse

Removing forests and grasslands, draining swamps,
building new roads, houses, and shopping centers
Getting Energy


All living things need
energy to live, eath, and
grow
The sun is the source of
energy in almost all
ecosystems

This makes the Sun the
first step in most food
chains.
Getting Energy

Producers



An organism that can
make its own food
Usually Green Plants
Responsible for
Photosynthesis
Getting Energy

Consumers
Organisms that eats other organisms for energy
 2 Types of Consumers


Primary Consumer


Secondary Consumer


Herbivore—animal who eats only plants
Carnivore—animal who eats other animals
Omnivores

Get energy from primary and secondary consumers.
Getting Energy

Scavengers

Eat the remains of dead animals


Vultures
Decomposers
Consumers that break down plant and animal
remains
 Return nutrients to the soil
 Completes energy cycle


Bacteria and Fungi
Steps of the Energy Cycle

Sun—Producer—Primary Consumer—
Secondary Consumer—Scavenger—
Decomposer—Producer
Getting Energy

Food Chain


Sequence of connected
producers and consumers
Shows how energy flows
through an ecosystem
Food Webs

Food Web


A group of connected
food chains in an
ecosystem
A change in one
population in an
ecosystem can affect
other populations
Energy Pyramid

Shows that energy is lost at
EACH LEVEL of the food
chain.



90% of energy is lost at each
level.
10% of energy is passed on.
Why are there fewer
organisms higher on the
energy pyramid?

Less energy to support
organisms at the top.
Chapter 4
Population Interaction
Limiting Factors

Factors in an
environment that can
become limited


Space, light, food,
water, air, and
nutrients
Can cause
competition
Carrying Capacity


The largest number of individuals of one
species that an ecosystem can support over time
When areas exceed carrying capacity leads to
competition for resources
Competition


The struggle among
organisms for limited
resources in an area
When organisms have
the same
environment, they
have different niches
or roles
Predator-Prey Relationship

Predator


Prey

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
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Animal that feeds on living things
Animals that predators eat
More Prey = More Predators
More Predators = Less Pray
Less Prey = Less Predators
Predator-Prey Relationships
Symbiosis


Close relationships
between organisms of
different species in
which one or both of
the organisms benefit
3 Types



Parasitism
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism


One organism is
helped and the other is
harmed
Parasite


An organism that lives
in or on another
organism
Host

Organism that a
parasite lives in
Mutualism

Type of symbiosis in
which both organisms
benefit

Both are helped
Commensalism

Type of symbiosis in
which one organism
is helped and the
other is not affected
in any way