Ecosystems Part 1

The parts of a habitat that are living (or once living) and interact with an organism are called biotic factors. Examples of biotic factors include: plants, animals, animal feces (waste), decomposing plant matter, worms and bacteria.

The nonliving parts of an organism’s habitat are abiotic factors The nonliving parts of an organism’s habitat are abiotic factors. These factors include sunlight, soil, temperature, oxygen and water.

Fill in the blanks with the abiotic factors shown in the figure Fill in the blanks with the abiotic factors shown in the figure. Circle the biotic factors shown in the figure.

Fill in the blanks with the abiotic factors shown in the figure Fill in the blanks with the abiotic factors shown in the figure. Circle the biotic factors shown in the figure. Rocks Water Dirt Sun Air

Most organisms do not live all alone in their habitat Most organisms do not live all alone in their habitat. Organisms live together in populations and communities that interact with abiotic factors in their ecosystems.

Organisms – all members of one species Population – all members of one species living in a particular area

Communities – all the different populations of species that live together in an area Ecosystem – the community of organisms that live in a particular area along with their nonliving or abiotic environment

In the diagram to the right, label the levels of organization in an ecosystem

In the diagram to the right, label the levels of organization in an ecosystem Organism Ecosystem Population Community

Each of the organisms in an ecosystem fills the energy role of producer, consumer or decomposer. Producers – organisms that can make its own food. Producers are the source of all the food in an ecosystem.

Consumers – organisms that obtain energy by feeding on other organisms Herbivores – eat only plants Carnivores – eat only animals (some carnivores are scavengers that feed on the bodies of dead organisms) Omnivores – eat both plants and animals

Decomposers – break down wastes and dead organisms and return the raw materials to the ecosystem

Label each image below as a producer (P), consumer (C) or decomposer (D).

Label each image below as a producer (P), consumer (C) or decomposer (D).

Food chains – a series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy, shows only ONE possible path along which energy can move through an ecosystem

Draw arrows between the organisms to show how the energy moves in the food chain.

Draw arrows between the organisms to show how the energy moves in the food chain.