1. Ecosystems
By: ___________

2. Table of Contents Word Bank pg. 1 What I Know pg. 6
Ecosystem Example – Pond pg. 21
Water Food Chain pg. 24
Land Food Chain pg. 25
Water Food Web pg. 26
Land Food Web pg. 27

3. Word Bank 1. biotic factor – 2. abiotic factor – 3. niche –
4. ecosystem -

4. Word Bank 2
5. ecology
6. competition
7. organism –
8. habitat -

5. Word Bank 9. predator – an animal that hunts other animals for food.3
9. predator – an animal that hunts other animals for food.
10. prey – an animal that is hunted by other animals and is relied on for food.
11. population – all of the members of a species in an ecosystem (all tigers in an ecosystem = tiger population)
12. parasite – an organism that lives, grows, and feeds on a host organism. ex: flea, tick

6. Word Bank 4
13. producer – an organism that makes its own food and gets nrg from sunlight.
14. consumer – an organism that cannot make its own food; gets nrg from other organisms
15. decomposer – organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms
16. herbivore – a consumer who only eats plants (only eat producers)
17. carnivore – a consumer that only eats meat (other consumers)
18. omnivore – a consumer who eats both meat and plants (both producers and consumers)

7. Word Bank 5
17. food chain – pg. 268
18. food web – pg. 270

8. What I Know Ecosystems are made up of both abiotic and biotic factors.6
Ecosystems are made up of both abiotic and biotic factors.
biotic – plants, bacteria, animals
abiotic – rocks, water, air, sun, soil
Different ecosystems have different kinds of habitats.
Plants and animals compete with their own kind and other plants and animals for resources (food, water, habitat, mate, sunlight)

9. What I Know Ecosystems are always changing.6
Ecosystems are always changing.
Ecosystems can be changed by –
Natural Events
volcanoes
Hurricanes
Flood (too much rain)
Drought (not enough rain ; too dry)
Living Things
locusts (specific grasshoppers) – bad
alligator holes - good

10. What I Know 6
Organisms can change their environment to meet their needs.
alligator – digs a hole to help it survive during a drought.
beaver – build dams to block enough water to form a pool; Here they build lodges; Lodges allow them protection and a place to raise their young.

11. What I Know Does a beaver help or harm the environment? He does both.6
Does a beaver help or harm the environment?
He does both.
He helps by –
- providing a habitat for plants and animals to grow in the pool.
- by cutting down trees, he gives small plants room to grow.
He harms by-
- Causing land to flood with his dam.
- drowning small plants and animals in the flooded pool

12. What I Know Predators reduce the number of prey in an ecosystem.11
Predators reduce the number of prey in an ecosystem.
Predators, diseases, and parasites can decrease the size of a population.
Exotic species can take over an area. ‘
They can outcompete (win all battles) for food, because they have less predators.

13. What I Know All organisms in an ecosystem need nrg to live.11
All organisms in an ecosystem need nrg to live.
They depend on one another for nrg and survival.
Producers get nrg from the sun. They use this nrg to make food for the plant.
Example: plants

14. What I Know 11
Consumers get nrg by eating producers and other live consumers.
3 kinds of consumers:
1. herbivores – eat only plants
Example:
2. carnivores – eat only meat (animals)
3. omnivores – eat both plants and meat (animals)

15. What I Know 11
Decomposers get nrg from breaking down dead and decaying organisms. They also return needed nutrients to the soil.
Example: worms, bacteria, fungi (mushrooms)
Decomposers
(draw a small picture here)
Consumers
(draw small picture here)
Producers
(draw small picture here

16. What I Know Energy for all food chains starts with the SUN.11
Energy for all food chains starts with the SUN.
Energy in a food chain moves in one direction. (nrg moves toward the organism that is EATING)
Arrows represent the nrg flow in a food chain.

17. What I Know 16
Food webs give food chains more options for survival when resources for food run low.
There must be more prey than predators in an ecosystem to have a successful food chain.

18. Energy Draw the energy pyramid Pyramid from pg. 272 here.
What I Know 15
Energy Draw the energy pyramid Pyramid from pg. 272 here.
Label the producers and consumers in the pyramid.
nrg

19. What I Know 17 Organisms have 2 kinds of adaptations
1. structural – AN ADAPTATION THAT ARE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE INTERNAL (INSIDE) OR EXTERNAL (OUTSIDE) OF AN ORGANISM.
examples: thick waxy cuticle of cacti, webbed feet of ducks, talons of falcons
2. behavioral – AN ADAPTATION THAT ARE ADJUSTMENTS TO AN ANIMALS BEHAVIOR
examples: elephant holding on to mom’s tail, wolves and fish travel in packs, any symbiotic relationship (clownfish / anemone, rhino / little bird), sea otter’s rock tummy
Other adaptations include:
1. Nocturnal feeding time
2. mimicry
3. camouflage

20. Draw a food chain that would belong in each particular ecosystem.
NO DOS TODAY!!
TODAY’S ASSIGNMENT:
Make a new page in your “Table of Contents” for the various ecosystems.
Each ecosystem should have its own page. (Pond, Ocean, Marsh / Swamp, Forest, and Meadow)
Example: #3 would be “Pond Ecosystem”
#4 would be “Ocean Ecosystem”
and so on…
Draw a food chain that would belong in each particular ecosystem.
Label each organism as a producer, consumer, or decomposer
Label each organism as an herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore.
Label each organism as 1st (primary), 2nd (secondary), or 3rd (tertiary) level consumer

21. Pond Ecosystem In my ecosystem I need a food chain that has:21
In my ecosystem I need a food chain that has:
All Organisms drawn.
All organisms labeled
1. Consumer? Producer? or decomposer?
2. Herbivore? Omnivore? Carnivore?
Coloring is bonus for this ecosystem.

22. Water Food Chain In my food chain I need: All Organisms drawn.24
In my food chain I need:
All Organisms drawn.
All organisms labeled
1. Consumer?(also #2) Producer? or decomposer?
2. Herbivore? Omnivore? Carnivore?
Coloring is bonus for this food chain.

23. Land Food Chain In my food chain I need: All Organisms drawn.25
In my food chain I need:
All Organisms drawn.
All organisms labeled
1. Consumer?(also #2) Producer? or decomposer?
2. Herbivore? Omnivore? Carnivore?
Coloring is bonus for this food chain

24. Water Food Web Draw the picture from pg. 270 Label Color is BONUS
producer, consumer, or decomposer
If a consumer: label carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore
nrg in the food web
Color is BONUS

25. Water Food Web Draw the picture from pg. 271 Label Color is BONUS
producer, consumer, or decomposer
If a consumer: label carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore
nrg in the food web
Color is BONUS