Ecology Habitat Biomes Food Chains Life…even Microscopic Life! Coe Lake Outdoor Science Education Life Science Unit

Habitat the type of environment in which an organism lives; where an organism is commonly found. Four Important Components: food, shelter, water, space

Riparian Zone Habitat areas that surround water bodies in the watershed and are composed of moist to saturated soils, water-loving plant species

"Riparian Retreat" 3 rd Grade Classroom #4

Prairie Habitat Living birdfeeder Deep roots, hold soil >reduce soil pollution/run-off > improve water quality > retain moisture in ground Provides habitat & food

Habitat Quality The overall quality of habitat has been degraded due to human habitat expansion= habitat degradation.

Degradation = Invasives

Biome Classified by predominant vegetation similar climate adaptations of organisms They have moved & changed many times in Earth’s history

Tally Time! 1 st Grade Classroom #4 Polar Biome (Tundra) World's youngest biome! Formed about 10,000 years ago. Treeless, very cold, ground permanently frozen (why trees can't grow there), low growing plants (mosses, lichen), summer it thaws for a bit forms large bogs, swamps, LOTS insects reproduce = happy migratory birds ; major carbon sink

Desert Biome Hot during the day, cool at night, receive less than 50 cm rainfall / year. DRY! Plants - hold in a lot of water for a long time. EX: fishhook cactus, sugauro cactus Animals - most nocturnal EX: thorny devil, bilby, camel, jackrabbit, rattlesnake, kangaroo rat

Coe Lake – Temperate Deciduous 4 distinct seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) Plants – leaves change color in autumn & are dropped in winter. EX: oak, maple, beech sycamore, sassafras, red bud, black cherry, locust Animals – many hibernate during winter EX: american toad, box turtle, ground squirrel- chipmunk, arboreal squirrel- gray squirrel, opossum, black bear, raccoon, cedar waxwing, cardinal, brown thrasher

Trees Trees Trees

More Plants Serviceberry Tupelo Tree

Animals at Coe Lake

Food Chain Path of food consumption (transfer of E) from sun, to plants to animals and more animals. Producer Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Tertiary Consumer Herbivores, carnivroes, omnivores,decomposers

Energy Moves Through Food Chains The circle above represents the producer. All of the stored energy in the body of the producer organism is eaten by the primary consumer. The circle above represents the primary consumer. A small portion of the producer's original energy is stored in the primary consumer. The circle above represents the secondary consumer. Only a very small fraction (shown in green) of the producer's original energy is stored by the secondary consumer. This energy is taken into the body of the tertiary consumer.

As the energy is passed along the food chain much of it is either used or lost. Therefore there is a limit to the number of organisms in a food chain. The top carnivore is usually the third or fourth consumer. The pyramid below is a way of showing how the numbers of organisms decrease along the food chain, finishing with the top carnivore at the apex. A = plankton, B = shrimp, C = fish, D = seagull

Microscopic Life is Really Important in Food Chains Life (algae, protists,bacteria) you can not see Need microscope to see EX: Daphnia, Copepods, Paramecium, Euglena, Diatoms, bacteria

Parts of A Microscope

What You Need to Know.. Define habitat. What ecological function/role do riparian zones and prairies play in ecosystems? What is habitat degradation? Thoroughly explain outcome. Biomagnification. What are the 3 biomes in "Tally Time" and explain each. Identify the components of a freshwater pond/lake biome. (like Coe Lake )…and plant/animal life there. Food Chains. Microscopic Life and The Microscope.

Coe Lake Eco-Cottage = Human Habitat