Chapter 5 Lesson One: Interactions in an Ecosystem

Ecosystem All the living and nonliving things in an environment, including their interactions with each other

Abiotic Factor A nonliving part of an ecosystem Examples: water, minerals, sunlight, air, climate, and soil

Biotic Factors A living part of an ecosystem Examples: animals, plants, fungi, protists, and bacteria

All the members of one species in an area Population All the members of one species in an area

Community All the living things in an ecosystem (All the populations together)

The study of how living and nonliving things interact Ecology The study of how living and nonliving things interact

The place where a plant or animal naturally lives and grows Habitat The place where a plant or animal naturally lives and grows

The role of an organism in a community Niche The role of an organism in a community

Living Things are made up of 50 to 95 percent water.

Producers Definition: They produce oxygen and food that animals need Examples: Plants and algae Definition: They produce oxygen and food that animals need

Consumers Example: Animals Definition: They eat algae, plants, or animals.

Decomposers Examples: Fungi and bacteria Definition: They breakdown dead plants and animals into useful things like minerals that enrich soil.

Niche Factors: a. What a species eats b. What eats a species c. The environment the species lives in d. Are they active during the day or at night