1. ECOSYSTEM
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

2. Ecosystem 3 levels that make up an ecosystem Individual Population
Community
Is a natural unit of living (Biotic) and non-living (Abiotic) things that work together.
Eg: Marine, Aquatic, Desert, Rainforest, Tundra and many more

3. Ecosystem services are “fundamental life-support services upon which human civilization depends,” and can be either direct or indirect.
Direct: pollination, wood, erosion prevention
Indirect: considered climate moderation, nutrient cycles, detoxifying natural substances and many more.

5. Notes
An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work together.

6. Trophic Relations
Ecosystems are natural machines that change matter and energy in the area
Trophic- from the Greek word FOOD
Trophic relations: the natural connections of food between living organisms
ie. The food chain

8. Food Chain
Producers
Consumers
Decomposers

10. Producers
Producers are organisms, (photosynthetic) like green plants, that produce organic compounds from inorganic compounds.
Autotroph - lowest level in the food chain
They use sun light, carbon dioxide, and nutrients to produce organic material
Inorganic: water, salts, minerals
Organic: proteins, fats

12. Consumers
Organisms that obtain nutrients from other organisms. This is also a heterotroph.
Heterotroph is an organism that cannot synthesize their own food and must obtain it.
Heterotrophs include herbivores (feed only on plants), carnivores (feed on other animals), omnivores (feed on both) and saprobes (breaking down the remains of dead plants and animals).

13. Consumers Many types of consumers First order – usually herbivores
Second order
Third order
Fourth order

17. Decomposers
An organism that primarily feeds on dead organisms or the waste from living organisms
Decomposers are the garbage men of the animal kingdom

19. Notes Trophic relations: Food Chain
Producers: organisms that produce organic compounds from inorganic compounds. (plants)
They use sun light, CO2, and nutrients
Inorganic: water, salts, minerals
Organic: proteins, fats

20. Notes Consumers: Organisms that obtain nutrients from other organisms.
First order – usually herbivores, eat only grains fruits, etc.
Second order – eat the first order animals
Third order – eat the one preceding
Fourth order – top of the food chain

21. Notes
Decomposers: primarily feeds on dead organisms or the waste from living organisms

22. Matter & Energy Flow
Corresponds to the circulation of material and energy between living organisms and their area
Law of Conservation of Mass by Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier: matter cannot be created or destroyed only transformed.

23. Chemical Recycling
Natural phenomenon by the action of decomposers, replace inorganic material from organic material

24. Cycles
Water Cycle: The process of water going from atmosphere  ground  organisms  atmosphere  ground 
Carbon Cycle: The movement of carbon from atmosphere  plants  animals  atmosphere
Nitrogen Cycle: The movement of nitrogen from atmosphere  bacteria  plants and animals  atmosphere

25. Energy Contrary to matter, energy is not conserved in an ecosystem
An ecosystem must always receive a continuous supply of energy
ie from the sun

26. Biomass
Is the total mass of organic material in an ecosystem at a given time
The entire earth contains about 75 billion tons of biomass, % of the total mass of the Earth
As the Trophic level increases, the biomass of each Trophic level decreases.
That is, producers have a much higher biomass than animals that consume them. The level with the least biomass is the highest predators in the food chain.

28. Primary Productivity
The quantity of new biomass obtained by producers from the ecosystem.
Biomass is also influenced by net primary productivity (NPP).
This measure is important, it represents the quantity of energy available for 1st order consumers.

30. Influences
A few factors can influence the primary productivity in an ecosystem:
Amount of light
Amount of water
Access to essential nutrients
Temperature

31. Notes Matter is conserved energy is not
Biomass: the total mass of organic material in an ecosystem at a given time
Primary productivity: the quantity of new biomass obtained by producers from the ecosystem.
Influences:
Amount of light
Amount of water
Access to essential nutrients
Temperature

32. Classwork #6 Ecosystem 1. Definitions: a) Ecosystem:
b)      Trophic Relations:
c)      Producers:
d)      Consumers:
e)      Decomposers:
2. True or False?
a)      Decomposers are autotrophs:
b)      A lynx that eats a hare is a 2nd order consumer:
c)      Mushrooms are producers:
d)      Decomposers transform organic matter into inorganic matter:
e)      A heterotroph can produce there own food:

33. 3. Concerning the following organisms construct the food chain, and give their trophic level.
a)      Snake, Plant, Mouse, Owl:
b) Grasshopper, Racoon, Bullfrog, Weeds