Digging A Little Deeper Into Ecosystems

Organisms of Ecosystems Producers Consumers Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores Decomposers

Producers Organisms that use energy from the sun to make their own food through a process called photosynthesis PRODUCES its own food

Consumers Organisms that must get energy by eating other organisms 3 Groups – Herbivores Eat only PLANTS – Carnivores Eat other ANIMALS – Omnivores Eat both PLANTS and ANIMALS

Decomposers Get energy by breaking down nutrients in dead organisms Return carbon dioxide and water to ecosystem Think of them as RECYCLERS

How can 1 Ecosystem Support So Many Communities? Habitat (home) – The physical space used by a population – Includes the biotic and abiotic parts Biotic – living organisms Abiotic – nonliving parts of the ecosystem Niche – An organism’s lifestyle Habitat, climate, food

What happens when different populations occupy the same niche? Competition – Populations compete with each other for food, water and shelter – 1 population is usually better (more efficient) at finding food, water and shelter – The stronger population lives and the weaker population either moves to a new area or dies

Can two populations ever live together? YES, if they have partially overlapping niches. Animals ADAPT to their ecosystems – Adapt - to change so as to fit a new or specific use or situation Examples: – Owls and Kestrels eat the same food – Owls hunt at night and Kestrels hunt during the day

Predator and Prey Predator – An organism that eats other organisms in order to live Prey – The organism that is eaten

Food Chains and Food Webs Food Chain – Shows the path of energy as it flows from one organism to the next Food Web – A diagram of several connected food chains

Parasites and Hosts Parasite – Organisms that live on or inside another organism to get energy – Feeds off other organisms, does not eat them – Examples: fleas, ticks, tapeworms, leeches Host – The organisms the parasite infects – Usually harmed by parasite because the parasite takes nutrients