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Reporting Category #4Organisms and the Environment

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Systems combine to form larger systems.

• Cells → Tissues → Organs → Organ Systems → Organism

• Earth → Milky Way Galaxy → Universe

• Population → Community → Ecosystem

• Circulatory → Nervous → Reproductive →Digestive → Immune → Organism

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Animal Cells• A cell is the smallest part of any living

thing.  Each part of a cell completes a certain function.

• Cell Membrane - forms the outer boundary of the cell Cytoplasm - a gel-like material contains water and nutrients for the cell

• Nucleus - directs the activity of a cell; it contains chromosomes with the DNA

• Endoplasmic Reticulum - moves materials around in the cell

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Animal Cells

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Plant Cells

• Mitochondria - break down food and release energy to the cell

• Cell Wall - provides structure to the plant cell

• Chloroplasts - contain chlorophyll that is make food for the plant cell

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Plant Cells

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Photosynthesis

• 6H2O + 6CO2 ----> C6H12O6 + 6O2

• Water = Carbon Dioxide = sugar/glucose + Oxygen

• Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar.

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Ecosystems

• Ecosystems tend to change with time until a stable system is formed.  

• The types of animal

communities found in an ecosystem is dependent upon the kinds of plants and other producer organisms in that ecosystem.

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How are the plants dependent upon the soil? How is the soil dependent upon the plants?  

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Forest Ecosystems

• Forests might be cleared, burned or flooded, but eventually if conditions become suitable once again, the bare land will begin to change back into a forest slowly over time.

• The first plants to move in are called pioneer plants (grass and shrubs), and they need to be tough and grow quickly in order to survive in the often harsh conditions of recently disturbed areas. (Primary Succession)

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Sucession

• Succession occurs in all ecosystems.

• Place the stages of succession of two ecosystems into sequence.

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Food Chains and Webs

• Plants are called producers because they are able to use light energy from the Sun to produce food (sugar) from carbon dioxide and water.

• Animals cannot make their own food so they must eat plants and/or other animals. They are called consumers. There are three groups of consumers.

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Food Chains and Webs• Animals that eat ONLY PLANTS are called

herbivores (or primary consumers).

• Animals that eat OTHER ANIMALS are called carnivores.– carnivores that eat herbivores are called

secondary consumers

– carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers

• Animals and people who eat BOTH animals and plants are called omnivores.

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Food Chains and Webs

• Then there are decomposers (bacteria and fungi) which feed on decaying matter.

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Food Chains and Webs

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Food Chains and Webs