Ecosystems
Ecosystems play a large role in our daily lives and it is important to understand what they provide, what they are made up of, and how we and other animals use the resources that ecosystems provide.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors
All ecosystems are made up of biotic and abiotic factors; biotic refers to the living components of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria, while abiotic are the nonliving components, including water, rocks, and light.
All ecosystems are made up of biotic and abiotic factors; biotic refers to the living components of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria, while abiotic are the nonliving components, including water, rocks, and light.
Types of Feeders:
All living organisms must depend on each other to get energy to survive, and the main driving force for all living energy is the sun. They are classified into different groups based on their type of diet:
Producer: They make their own food directly from the sun, and are usually plants, algae, or photosynthetic microorganisms.
Herbivore: Eats only plants
Omnivore: Eats both plants and other animals
Carnivore: Eats only meat
Scavenger: Eats the dead carcasses of other animalls
Detritivore: Feeds on what is left after scavengers, and often consume decomposers
Decomposers: Feeds by breaking down the remains of other organisms, most are fungi and bacteria
All living organisms must depend on each other to get energy to survive, and the main driving force for all living energy is the sun. They are classified into different groups based on their type of diet:
Producer: They make their own food directly from the sun, and are usually plants, algae, or photosynthetic microorganisms.
Herbivore: Eats only plants
Omnivore: Eats both plants and other animals
Carnivore: Eats only meat
Scavenger: Eats the dead carcasses of other animalls
Detritivore: Feeds on what is left after scavengers, and often consume decomposers
Decomposers: Feeds by breaking down the remains of other organisms, most are fungi and bacteria
Food Chains/Webs:
Food chains describes the process of energy transfer from one organism to another. 1. It first starts out with a producer, either a plant or algae that produces its own energy from the sun. 2. Another organism, known as the 1st level consumer, consumes the producer and gains its energy. 3. The second level consumer consumes the 1st level consumer to gain energy. 3. The 3rd level consumer also does the same thing. 4. The 4th level These are often at the top of the food chain, because any more consumers would not get enough energy from consuming 3rd/4th level consumers to survive. 4. The last is the decomposer, that decomposes any dead organisms for energy. These are mostly fungi and bacteria and consumes any of the above levels. Food Webs: Most animals don’t eat just one species of plant or animal, so food webs helps account for a larger variety in diet. They are multiple food chains intersecting with one another. |
Energy Pyramid:
As energy gets transferred from one level to another, most of it gets lost along the way. Only about 10% of energy transfers to the next organism.
As energy gets transferred from one level to another, most of it gets lost along the way. Only about 10% of energy transfers to the next organism.
Levels of Organization:
All animals are organized in particular groupings that today we call levels of organizations. 1. Individual: any single living organism 2. Population: a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area at a given time 3. Community: all the populations in a particular area at a given time 4. Ecosystem: all the communities interacting with the abiotic features of a particular environment at a given time 5. Biome: all the ecosystems that share similar abiotic factors. 5. Biosphere: all the biomes interacting with one another, ie Earth. |
Biomes:
Each biome is unique, having its own climate and types of organisms. Below are links to some of the major terrestrial biomes on Earth:
Each biome is unique, having its own climate and types of organisms. Below are links to some of the major terrestrial biomes on Earth:
Reference: blueplanetbiomes.org
Relationships:
Animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria often form different relationships with one another to gain a benefit. The following are the 3 main types of symbiotic relationships: Mutualism- both organisms benefit from one another Bees help pollinate flowers, while receiving nectar as food Commensalism- one organism benefits, the other is not affected. Birds receive shelter and a food source from trees, but trees are not affected Parasitism- one organism benefits, the other is harmed Fleas make their home in a dog's fur and sucks on its blood, and the dog gets harmed by itches on skin and blood loss. Note: Images to right are examples of each relationship in the order given above |
Associated Experiments/Videos
Below are some videos to watch and some experiments to try out. These are related to the topic of ecosystems. Have fun!
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Tell us how your experiments went - send us an email or write a guest blog post about your experiences!
References: Khan Academy
References: Khan Academy
References:
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Abiotic_vs_Biotic
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Biology/section/11.1/
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
https://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session7/closer5.html
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Life-Science-Concepts-For-Middle-School/section/12.2/
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.htm
http://wizznotes.com/biology/symbiosis/symbiosis-mutualism-commensalism-and-parasitism
Images:
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/462590459.jpg?250
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/639306494.jpg?228
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/136937616.jpg?235
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/680719221.jpg?524
http://file3.answcdn.com/answ-cld/image/upload/w_760,c_fill,g_faces:center,fl_lossy,q_60/v1/tk/view/answ-images/f/e/9/c/8/8/fe9c889a/7d797cbdc614f8b9989c909490f7eaa02643687d.jpeg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Overlander_Falls.JPG
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3557/3390804277_c2f4e05309_b.jpg
http://www.millville84.com/cache/gallery/2048/736_8042.jpg
http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/pix/tundra.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KM0zHcdk9ic/ULwbcs-ZSMI/AAAAAAAAAAw/HYQkUMUizGs/s1600/Autumntrees460.jpg
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/66/94366-120-64E64A28.jpg
http://www.diffen.com/difference/Abiotic_vs_Biotic
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Biology/section/11.1/
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm
https://www.learner.org/courses/essential/life/session7/closer5.html
http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Life-Science-Concepts-For-Middle-School/section/12.2/
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/tundra.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/deciduous_forest.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/savanna.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/chaparral.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/grasslands.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/desert.htm
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/alpine.htm
http://wizznotes.com/biology/symbiosis/symbiosis-mutualism-commensalism-and-parasitism
Images:
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/462590459.jpg?250
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/639306494.jpg?228
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/136937616.jpg?235
http://11114742-622535465676668887.preview.editmysite.com/uploads/1/1/1/1/11114742/680719221.jpg?524
http://file3.answcdn.com/answ-cld/image/upload/w_760,c_fill,g_faces:center,fl_lossy,q_60/v1/tk/view/answ-images/f/e/9/c/8/8/fe9c889a/7d797cbdc614f8b9989c909490f7eaa02643687d.jpeg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Overlander_Falls.JPG
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3557/3390804277_c2f4e05309_b.jpg
http://www.millville84.com/cache/gallery/2048/736_8042.jpg
http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/pix/tundra.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KM0zHcdk9ic/ULwbcs-ZSMI/AAAAAAAAAAw/HYQkUMUizGs/s1600/Autumntrees460.jpg
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/66/94366-120-64E64A28.jpg