Aim: How do organisms have different roles in the environment?

What type of ecosytem does Nemo live in?

What ecological level is this? Community The different types of populations in a given amount of space.

Does everybody in a community have the same job? No, each organism has its own ROLE in a community or NICHE

What is the niche of a plant population in a community? To produce food using the energy from the sun Producers - organisms that can make their own food

What is the niche of herbivores in a community? To eat plants Primary Consumers- animals that eat plants.

What is the role of carnivores in a community? To eat animals Secondary Consumers- eat primary consumers.

What is the niche (role) of bacteria & fungi? To return nutrients back to the soil by breaking down dead organisms Decomposers – breakdown dead organisms Bacteria & Fungi (mushrooms).

Why are decomposers the “Recyclers” of the ecosystem? They break down dead organisms & at the same time return raw materials back to the ecosystem.

Nitrogen Cycle:

What is a scavenger’s niche? To eat animal’s that were killed & leftover by secondary consumers

What happens if two organisms occupy the same niche What happens if two organisms occupy the same niche?(have the same role) Organisms would compete until the best adapted population wins. Organisms can sometimes appear to occupy the same niche, but under more careful examination, they do not.

Compare and Contrast Primary & Secondary Consumers US movie: populations, habitats & niches