Download Study Guide Chapter 3 and 4: Ecosystems Mrs. Bathiany`s and Mrs

Study Guide Chapter 3 and 4:
Ecosystems
Mrs. Bathiany’s and Mrs. Young’s Class
Test will be Friday, November 2nd
Essential Vocabulary:
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biotic factor—living things in an ecosystem
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community—all of the populations in an ecosystem
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tropical rain forest—located along and near Earth’s equator, this biome is hot and
humid with plenty of rainfall
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desert—a sandy or rocky biome with very little rainfall
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herbivore—animals that eat only plants
abiotic factor—nonliving things in an ecosystem (water, sun, air, rocks)
ecosystem—biotic and abiotic factors of an environment that work together
habitat—place to live
population—all the members of a species that live in an ecosystem (only one kind of
animal)
biome—a large ecosystem that has its own kinds of plants, animals, and soil
grassland—a biome where the main kind of plant is grasses (a prairie)
deciduous forest—forest with trees that lose their leaves each year, rich soil, and a
warm climate
taiga—a cool forest biome in the upper regions of the north
tundra—a cold, dry biome without trees and little rainfall
producer—organism that makes their own food using the energy in sunlight
consumer—organisms who cannot make their own food
decomposer—organisms that break down dead and decaying matter into wastes and
simple substances (worms, bacteria, fungi)
omnivore—animals that eat plants and animals
carnivore—animals that eat only meat
food chain—how energy is transferred between organisms
food web—shows how all the food chains in an ecosystem are connected
competition—the struggle between organisms for food, water, and other needs
energy pyramid—a model that shows the amount of energy at each level of a food web
adaptation—a trait or behavior that helps a living thing survive in tits environment
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camouflage—an adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with its
surroundings
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mimicry—when one kind of living thing has similar traits to another
tropism—the reaction of a plant to something in its environment
accommodation—an individual organism’s response to changes in its ecosystem
endangered—a living thing that has few of its kind left
extinct—said of a kind of organism that is no longer alive on Earth
deforestation—when trees and shrubs are cut down, destroying an ecosystem
Essential Questions:
What changes might a forest fire cause?
Trees and plants destroyed, animal population will go down, changes in the soil
How do plants respond to the following stimuli?
Light—turn and grow towards it
Gravity—roots grow down and stems
Water—roots grow toward it
How can camouflage help animals survive in their environment?
How do plants adapt to cold winters?
Some plants lose their leaves each winter, so the leaves do not die in the cold. Losing leaves
also saves energy in the winter, because they do not have to photosynthesize.
How is a brightly colored flower an adaptation?
It helps to attract pollinators.
Be able to make a land food web, like the one on page 155. Keep in mind a food web shows
competition and has multiple food chains linked together. Be sure to include animals like
eagle, deer, cow, fox, rabbit, mouse, snake, the grass, and sun.
If a rabbit and a snail are both eating grass in an ecosystem, what relationship do they have
with each other?
They are competing for the resource of grass.
If there are ONLY living things in an area, does that make an ecosystem?
NO, an ecosystem consists of living and nonliving things. You would have to add water, air,
rocks, soil, etc.
Be able to describe key characteristics of biomes.
Be able to recognize the flow of energy in a food chain.
Producer  consumer  decomposer