1. Ecosystem
Grade 5

2. What is a Population?
A population is one species living in a specific area.
For example, all foxes living in an area form a population.
Another example, all dandelions growing in an area form another population.

3. What is a Community?
A community is formed from all living populations found in an area.
All the foxes, dandelions, grasshoppers, snakes, hawks, deer, and skunks living in one area each form their individual populations, but together make up a community.

4. What is a Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is formed by the interactions between all living and non-living things
How do living and non-living things interact in an environment?

5. What is Ecology?
Ecology is how living and non-living things affect each other in their environment.
We have already named several living things found in a community. Can you name non-living things in your community?

6. Non-living parts of your community
Buildings
Roads
Bodies of water
Automobiles
Traffic lights

7. How non-living and living things affect each other
Building more homes drives many animals out of their natural habitats or communities.
Littering can destroy an animals habitat.
Air pollution from automobiles and factories will affect the quality of life for all living things in a community, including people.