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EcologyEcology

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Ecosystems Support LifeEcosystems Support Life

Ecosystem: Ecosystem: A community of interrelated A community of interrelated plants, animals, and plants, animals, and AbioticAbiotic (non(non--living) living) factorsfactors

Biotic Factors interact with an Biotic Factors interact with an EcosystemEcosystem Living things (biotic) depend Living things (biotic) depend

on an ecosystem for food, on an ecosystem for food, air, water, and shelter.air, water, and shelter.

Animals also affect an Animals also affect an ecosystemecosystem a beaver building a dam a beaver building a dam

that changes the flow of a that changes the flow of a riverriver cattle overgrazing a cattle overgrazing a

grassland causing soil to grassland causing soil to erodeerode

AbioticAbiotic factors affect factors affect ecosystemsecosystems Abiotic factors include nonAbiotic factors include non--

living chemical and living chemical and physical parts of an physical parts of an ecosystemecosystem

Abiotic factors are things Abiotic factors are things organisms can see or feelorganisms can see or feel

TemperatureTemperature, , water, soil, water, soil, sunlightsunlight

TemperatureTemperature

Temperature affects the type of plants that Temperature affects the type of plants that will survivewill survive

The plants then determine what food or The plants then determine what food or shelter is available to the animals that live in shelter is available to the animals that live in the ecosystemthe ecosystem

Animals are also affected by temperature; a Animals are also affected by temperature; a polar bear would not survive in a desert.polar bear would not survive in a desert.

LightLight Energy from the sun supports all life on EarthEnergy from the sun supports all life on Earth

Plants need sunlight as a part of Plants need sunlight as a part of photosynthesisphotosynthesis

The strength and amount of sunlight The strength and amount of sunlight determines the type of plants that will live in an determines the type of plants that will live in an ecosystemecosystem

Light is also important for the ocean…light is Light is also important for the ocean…light is only available in the first hundred meters below only available in the first hundred meters below the surface of the water…which determines the surface of the water…which determines which plants and animals would survive at which plants and animals would survive at specific depths of the oceanspecific depths of the ocean

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SoilSoil Soil is a mixture of small rock and mineral Soil is a mixture of small rock and mineral

particles.particles.

Some organisms help to break down the remains Some organisms help to break down the remains of dead plants and animals to enrich the soil with of dead plants and animals to enrich the soil with minerals and nutrientsminerals and nutrients

Types of Soils: soil with decaying plant matter Types of Soils: soil with decaying plant matter and water, sand, clay (water doesn’t move and water, sand, clay (water doesn’t move through easily)through easily)

Type of soil determines which plants will grow Type of soil determines which plants will grow and the type of plants determine which animals and the type of plants determine which animals will feed on them and live in the ecosystemwill feed on them and live in the ecosystem

WaterWater

The amount of water available to The amount of water available to organisms determines the species and organisms determines the species and quantities of animals and plants that will quantities of animals and plants that will be able to live in the ecosystembe able to live in the ecosystem

Matter Cycles Through Matter Cycles Through EcosystemsEcosystems WaterWater, , carboncarbon, and , and nitrogennitrogen are are

materials that are necessary for life. materials that are necessary for life. They move through ecosystems in They move through ecosystems in continuous cyclescontinuous cycles

Matter cycles through Matter cycles through ecosystemsecosystems

Water CycleWater Cycle

Matter Cycles Through Matter Cycles Through EcosystemsEcosystems

Carbon CycleCarbon Cycle

Matter Cycles Through Matter Cycles Through EcosystemsEcosystems

Nitrogen CycleNitrogen Cycle

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Energy Flows Through Energy Flows Through EcosystemsEcosystems Living things capture and release energyLiving things capture and release energy ProducersProducers (plants capture and store energy)(plants capture and store energy) Consumers Consumers (get energy by eating other (get energy by eating other

organisms)organisms)FirstFirst--order:order: Organisms that eat food producersOrganisms that eat food producersSecondSecond--order:order: Eat firstEat first--orderorderThirdThird--order:order: Eat secondEat second--orderorder

DecomposersDecomposers (organisms that break down (organisms that break down dead plant and animal matter)dead plant and animal matter)

Energy Flows Through Energy Flows Through EcosystemsEcosystems Food ChainFood Chain: :

feeding feeding relationship relationship between a between a producer and a producer and a single chain of single chain of consumers in an consumers in an ecosystemecosystem

Energy Flows Through Energy Flows Through EcosystemsEcosystems

Food Web:Food Web:A model of the A model of the feeding feeding relationships relationships between many between many different different consumers and consumers and producers in an producers in an ecosystem.ecosystem.

Energy Flows Through Energy Flows Through EcosystemsEcosystems

Available energy Available energy decreases as it decreases as it moves through moves through an ecosysteman ecosystem

The amount of The amount of energy energy decreases as decreases as you go up the you go up the pyramidpyramid

Biomes Contain Many Biomes Contain Many EcosystemsEcosystems Biome: a region of earth that has a particular Biome: a region of earth that has a particular

climate and certain types of plants.climate and certain types of plants.

There are 6 major land biomesThere are 6 major land biomes TundraTundra and and TaigaTaiga: northern regions of earth, long cold : northern regions of earth, long cold

winters and short cool summerswinters and short cool summers Desert Desert and and GrasslandGrassland:: middle latitudes, warm to hot middle latitudes, warm to hot

and do not have enough water to support treesand do not have enough water to support trees Temperate ForestTemperate Forest and and Tropical ForestTropical Forest: contains : contains

enough water to support treesenough water to support trees

Water BiomesWater Biomes Freshwater: streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, estuariesFreshwater: streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, estuaries Marine: coastal, open ocean, deep oceanMarine: coastal, open ocean, deep ocean

Biomes Contain Many Biomes Contain Many EcosystemsEcosystems Land BiomesLand Biomes Are affected by Are affected by

climateclimate Are affected by Are affected by

conditions of soilconditions of soil Are characterized by Are characterized by

types of plantstypes of plants

Water BiomesWater Biomes can be freshwater or can be freshwater or

saltwatersaltwater Are affected by Are affected by

landscape if landscape if freshwaterfreshwater

Are affected by depth Are affected by depth if marineif marine

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