1. Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, & Matter Cycling
Chapter 4
Ecosystems: Components, Energy Flow, & Matter Cycling
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2. Chapter Outline 1. Ecosystem Concepts 2. Food Webs & Energy Flow
Components and organization of Ecology
2. Food Webs & Energy Flow
autotrophs, heterotrophs, productivity, efficiency
3. Nutrient Cycles
water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus
4. Ecosystem Services
importance of ecosystems
Test 1
Test 2
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3. Ecosystem Concepts
Ecology: study of relationships between organisms & their environment
biosphere
ecosystem
community
population
organism
Realm of ecology
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4. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Organ Tissue Cell
Smallest unit of a molecule
Atom
Smallest unit of a compound
that still has the properties
of the compound
Molecule
Smallest unit of a
living thing
Cell
A group of cells with
a common structure
and function
Tissue
Composed of a number
of tissues and
organized for a
particular task
Organ
An individual;
complex individuals
contain organ systems
Organism
Several organisms of
the same kind in a
particular area
Population
Interacting populations
in a particular area
Community
A community plus the
environment
Ecosystem
Regions of the Earth's
crust, waters, and
atmosphere inhabited
by living things
Biosphere

5. Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Organ Tissue Cell
Smallest unit of a molecule
Atom
Smallest unit of a compound
that still has the properties
of the compound
Molecule
Smallest unit of a
living thing
Cell
A group of cells with
a common structure
and function
Tissue
Composed of a number
of tissues and
organized for a
particular task
Organ
An individual;
complex individuals
contain organ systems
Organism
Several organisms of
the same kind in a
particular area
Population
Interacting populations
in a particular area
Community
A community plus the
environment
Ecosystem
Regions of the Earth's
crust, waters, and
atmosphere inhabited
by living things
Biosphere

6. Organism organism: any form of life classified into species
species: groups of organisms that resemble each other and can potentially interbreed
There are estimated to be million species
Only about 1.8 million species named
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7. Aha ha – an Australian wasp
Fun Species Names
Aha ha – an Australian wasp

8. GoldenPalace.com monkey
Fun Species Names
GoldenPalace.com monkey

9. Fun Species Names
Pieza kake fly

10. Population
Population: a group of interacting individuals of the same species
Examples:
school of fish
white oak trees in a forest
people in a city
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11. Communities
Communities: populations of all species living together in a given area
Example:
Redwood forest community:
populations of redwood
populations of other trees
populations of animals
populations of microorganisms

12. Ecosystem
Ecosystem: a community of different species interacting with one another & with their non–living environment
Examples:
a patch of woods
a lake or pond
a farm field
your mouth
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