Interactions within Ecosystems

What is an Ecosystem? What is found in an ecosystem? Animals and Plants An organism is any living thing, such as a plant or animal.

What is an Ecosystem? Places where organisms live are called habitats. Everything that is needed for an organism to survive would be found in a habitat.

What is an Ecosystem? Non-living things that affect organisms are called abiotic factors. What are some examples? Water, rocks, sunlight, and air

What is an Ecosystem? Living things that are found in an environment are called biotic factors. Organisms are biotic factors. How do animals affect each other? Feed each other Compete with each other Help each other

What is an Ecosystem? An ecosystem is all the living and non living things in a particular place. How large is an ecosystem? Ecosystems can be very large, like the ocean or forest, or they can be very small, like under a log or a nest in a tree.

What is an Ecosystem? There are four ecosystems in Atlantic Canada: Coastlines and oceans Brown seaweeds, barnacles, mussels, starfish, rock crabs Water currents affect temperatures and climate Larger animals include cod, seals, and whales Salt content affect organisms Deep water prevent sunlight from reaching bottom

What is an Ecosystem? Freshwater: Rivers, Lakes and Ponds Fish such as whitefish and sticklebacks Beavers, muskrats, ducks, and geese Frogs, insects, snails Water plants Rain and snow supply water

What is an Ecosystem? Arctic Northern Labrador Very low temperatures and little precipitation Permafrost: soil is always frozen one metre below the surface Low shrubs, mosses, lichens and small flowers Caribou, musk ox, wolves, arctic foxes, arctic hares, lemmings Birds during spring and summer

What is an Ecosystem? Forests Much of Newfoundland and Labrador Summers cool and winters wet Balsam fir, white birch, black spruce, mountain ash Moose, caribou, black bear, lynx, red fox, pine marten, mink Sometimes bogs and marshes Peat (buildup of decaying plant matter)

Activity: Foldable Create a foldable showcasing the ecosystems found in Newfoundland.

What is an Ecosystem? Most plants and animals have a range of tolerance. Range of Tolerance is the range of conditions within which an organism can live. Ex: heat, light, water, etc. Range of tolerance is the factor that determines where organisms live.

What is an Ecosystem? Abiotic Factors: 1. Light and light intensity All plants need light to survive. Some plants need more light than others. Animals can survive in dark and light areas.

What is an Ecosystem? 2. Temperature All animals and plants have a certain temperature that they need to survive.

What is an Ecosystem? 3. Soil Plants get nutrients from the soil. Plants grow roots into soil. Animals form tunnels for air and water to move through.

What is an Ecosystem? 4. Air and Wind Windy areas can affect plant growth since these areas tend to be dry. Plants usually grow shorter than normal. Animals that fly can also be affected by the wind.

What is an Ecosystem? 5. Water All organisms need water to survive. Some organisms can survive with smaller amounts of water.

What is an Ecosystem? What are biotic factors? Ecologists study ecosystems by first studying a species. A species is a group of organisms that can reproduce to produce similar, fertile organisms.

What is an Ecosystem? When only one organism is studied, that is an individual. When many organisms of the same species live in the same ecosystem, they make a population. A group of populations which interact and share a common ecosystem form a community.

Habitat versus Niche Habitat: the organism’s address; where does it live? Ex. A moose’s habitat is the boreal forest.

Niche Niche: the organism’s job; what role does the organism play in its environment. It includes: where it lives how it obtains food how it affects its environment

Niche Ex. A moose lives in the boreal forest, it is a herbivore (plant eater), it provides a home for parasites and it provides food for coyotes.