Dynamics of an Ecosystem

What is an Ecosystem? An ecosystem can be any given area containing living and non-living things. Living things (biotic) can be classified as plants, animals and organisms. Examples of non-living things (abiotic) are weather, earth, sun, soil, climate and atmosphere. Both living and non-living things play roles in how well an ecosystem thrives.

How Big Are Ecosystems? An ecosystem can be as small as the underside of a rock or as large as a rainforest. (Earth can be technically called one giant ecosystem.) To make classifying ecosystems easier we use these 3 terms: Micro – A small scale ecosystem like a rock or a puddle Messo – A medium scaled ecosystem like a forest or a lake. Biome – A very large ecosystem or collection of ecosystems that share similar biotic and abiotic characteristics.

Categorizing Ecosystems Furthermore, we can categorize ecosystems according to where they are found. If an ecosystem is found in a puddle, lake, or ocean it is considered an aquatic ecosystem. If an ecosystem is found outside a body of water it is considered a terrestrial ecosystem.

Levels in an Ecosystem To understand how things interact within an ecosystem we must understand a few key terms. Individual – Any living thing or organism in an ecosystem. Population – The total number of a specific species living in an ecosystem. Community – The total number of all species living in an ecosystem. Ecosystem – This includes everything that is found in the ecosystem (living and non-living) (biotic and abiotic). Biome – Set of ecosystems that share similar characteristics. Biosphere – All the different ecosystems established on Earth.

Biomes RECALL: Biomes are not ecosystems! They are a collection of ecosystems that share similar biotic (living) and abiotic (non-Living) characteristics. Biomes are often defined by their vegetation, climate, geology and soil. There are 5 major biomes on Earth; Desert Aquatic Tundra Forest Grassland

Assignment Get into partners. Pick 1/5 biomes and research the type of vegetation, animals, soil, climate found in that specific biome and list a few example locations of it. You will have 20 minutes to complete the worksheet. You will then participate in a “World Café” When complete we will enter key terms into our definition section and add them to the vocabulary wall.

Key Terms Biotic Abiotic Individual Population Community Ecosystem Biome Biosphere