ECOLOGY UNIT:* Describing Ecosystems*

Layers of the Atmosphere

Biosphere: part of the planet including water, land and air where LIFE exists Atmosphere: layer of gases that surrounds earth. Ex: H2O, CO2, O2, O3

Lithosphere: Earth’s solid outer layer, including crust, mantle. Extends 100 km down from surface and includes soil

Hydrosphere: all the water on Earth. 97% is salt water in earth’s oceans. 3% is freshwater in lakes and streams.

What is an Ecosystem?

A set of complex interactions between living and non-living things within a certain physical environment of the biosphere.

WHAT DO ECOSYSTEMS CONSIST OF?

 

•BIOTIC factors•ABIOTIC factors

BIOTIC FACTORS• “living” components of

ecosystems• Have the 5 characteristics of Life• For ex:• Plants• Animals• Fungi• Bacteria• Viruses

BIOTIC COMPONENTS 1) AUTOTROPHS (also known as

PRODUCERS) –Organisms that get their energy from nonliving sources (sun, organic matter)

–can make their own food.–Plants, some types of bacteria

BIOTIC COMPONENTS continued…

2)HETEROTROPHS (also known as CONSUMERS)

– Organisms that get their energy from other living things

– Animals, insects, fungi, bacteria

FIVE main Types of Consumers:

Scavenger

EXAMPLES OF CONSUMERS

• Carnivore: An organism that only eats other ANIMALS

• Omnivore: An organism that eats plants AND animals.

• Herbivore: An organism that only eats only PLANTS.

• Scavenger:An organism that feeds on dead prey killed by other animals.

• Decomposer: An organism that breaks down decaying organisms or wastes from organisms into elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, etc.

ABIOTIC FACTORS never living factors

examples:

• rocks• water • air• sunlight • nutrients• weather patterns• temperature• soil• humidity• salt concentration

YOUR TASK!

• Draw a VENN DIAGRAM

• In one circle list abiotic factors and in the other list biotic factors

ITEMS for your VENN DIAGRAM• Snail • Steak • Pork Chops • Salad • Bread • Plant • Hair • Matter• Finger Nails • Pipe• Cotton Fabric• Wool• Gold • Plastic • Grapes • Air

• Whale • Digital Clock • Energy • Water • Fish • Paper • Glass • Aluminum • Wooden Ruler • Sand • Clouds • Corpse • Molecules and Atoms

ITEMS for your VENN DIAGRAM• Snail B• Steak B• Pork Chops B• Salad B• Bread B• Plant B• Hair B• Matter BOTH• Finger Nails B• Pipe AB• Cotton Fabric B• Wool B• Gold AB• Plastic AB• Grapes B• Air AB

• Whale B• Digital Clock AB• Energy AB• Water AB• Fish B• Paper B• Glass AB• Aluminum AB• Wooden Ruler B• Sand AB• Clouds AB• Corpse B• Molecules and

Atoms BOTH

ECOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION

1.Individual/organism2.Species3.Population4.Community5.Ecosystem6.Biome

1) Individual/Organism: - Anything that can independently carry out life processes (Ex: a flower, a person, a dog, etc)

2) Species:- A group of SIMILAR organisms in an ecosystem that can reproduce with each other AND their offspring can reproduceEx: grey squirrels mate can not mate with red squirrels

3) Population:A group of members of the same species that live in the same physical environment or habitat

Ex: A group of grey squirrels living in the same forest

4) Community:A group of populations of different species that live and interact in an area.

Ex: A park contains populations of squirrels, robins, trees and shrubs

5) Ecosystem:The interactions of different populations with the non-living factors in the environment.Ex: A park contains squirrels, robins, trees, shrubs, sunlight, air, a pond

What are examples of Ecosystems?

Swamps

Forests

Mountain Valleys

Ecosystem in a Jar

6) BIOMES • A large geographic area that contains

MANY similar types of ecosystems.

• Biomes are usually known by the types of vegetation that grows in them.

• There are two types of biomes:

• 1. TERRESTRIAL on land; there are 5 in Canada

• 2. AQUATIC in water; there are 2 in Canada

1) Deciduous forests: made up of trees that lose their leaves in winter.- Found mostly in Eastern and Central Canada

Terrestrial Biomes

2) Boreal forests: Biomes that are dominated by conifers (trees with needle-shaped leaves, ex: pine trees).-Found in every province and make up about 80% of the forested areas of Canada

Terrestrial Biomes

3) Grasslands: areas that are covered with different grasses, they have a rich, fertile soil.

- Extends from eastern Manitoba to the Rocky mountains

Terrestrial Biomes

4) Tundra: a biome that has no trees, only small shrubs, grass, moss and lichen. - Tundras exist in northern Canada

Terrestrial Biomes

5) Temperate coniferous forests:- In most temperate coniferous forests, evergreen conifers predominate

- There are some that have a mix of conifers and evergreen and/or deciduous trees

Terrestrial Biomes

Aquatic Biomes

1) Marine: found in oceans. Ex: Coral reefs, ocean floor, open ocean

2) Freshwater: are areas that have lakes, rivers or streams.

Aquatic Biomes