Ecosystems

Core Content SC-05-3.4.1 Students will describe and compare living systems to understand

the complementary nature of structure and function.

SC-05-3.5.1 Students will describe cause and effect relationships between enhanced survival/reproductive success and particular biological adaptations (e.g., changes in structures, behaviors, and/or physiology) to generalize about the diversity of species.

SC-05-4.7.1 Students will: describe and categorize populations of organisms according to the function they serve in an ecosystem (e.g., producers, consumers, decomposers);draw conclusions about the effects of changes to populations in an ecosystem.

SC-05-4.7.2 Students should understand that a population consists of all individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact compose an ecosystem.

POS - SC-5-I-U-1

Students will understand that within every ecosystem are populations of organisms that serve specific functions. Changes to any population may affect the other populations in that ecosystem.

What is an Ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a community of living

things that interact with each other and

with the physical world.

The plants and animals within each

ecosystem interact with each other and

the non-living elements of the ecosystem

like climate, precipitation, and soil.

An ecosystem can be very small such as a

puddle or under a rock.

It can also be as big as an ocean or a

desert.

The balance of an ecosystem is

important. All things must work together to

provide a good living environment.

For example, if there is not enough water,

plants and animals will die and the

ecosystem will not exist.

Examples of Ecosystems Desert

Artic Tundra

Rainforest

Ocean

African Savanna

Swamp

Producers

A living thing that can make its own food.

Examples: Plants, Trees, Flowers

Consumers

A living thing that gets its food from eating

other living things.

Example: Polar bear eating a fish. A bird

eating a berry. A zebra eating grass.

Decomposers

A living thing that breaks down other living

things to get nutrients and energy.

Examples: Vultures eat dead animals.

Worms and beetles eat dead decaying

plants.

Population A group of living things that live in the

same place at the same time.

Example: many penguins live in the artic;

many elephants live in the African

Savanna

Community When different populations live together

in the same habitat and interact with

each other.

Example: Elephants, giraffes, and zebras

all live together in the Savanna.

Abiotic

Any non-living organisms in an ecosystem.

Biotic

Any living organisms in an ecosystem.

Food Chain

Shows what eats what in an ecosystem.

Example:

Food Web A food web consists of all the food chains

within a particular ecosystem.