3. Chapter: Ecology Table of Contents Section 3: Energy Through theEnergy Through the Ecosystem Section 1: What is an ecosystem? Section 2: Relationships AmongRelationships Among Living Things

4. 2. An ecosystem is made up of organisms interacting with one another and with nonliving factors to form a working unit. A. Ecosystems What is an ecosystem? 1 1 1. Organisms, along with the nonliving things in the woods or yard, such as soil, air, and light, make an ecosystem (EE koh sihs tum).

5. 1. Ecology is the study of the interactions that take place among the living organisms and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. 2. Ecologists spend a lot of time outdoors, observing their subject matter up close. B. The Study of Ecosystems What is an ecosystem? 1 1

6. 4. Like other scientist, ecologists also conduct experiments in laboratories. But, most of the ecologist's work is done in the field. B. The Study of Ecosystems What is an ecosystem? 1 1 3. Ecologists are scientists who study ecosystems

7. all the oceans, rivers, and lakes; and the surrounding atmosphere. 3. The biosphere is made up of all the ecosystems on Earth combined. C. The Largest Ecosystem What is an ecosystem? 1 1 1. The biosphere is the part of Earth where organism can live. 2. It includes the topmost layer of Earth's crust;

8. 1. Each of the many ecosystems in the biosphere contains many different living organisms. 2. The organisms that make up the living part of an ecosystem are called biotic factors. D. Living Parts of Ecosystems What is an ecosystem? 1 1 3. An organisms depends on other biotic (bi AH tihk) factors for food, shelter, protection, and reproduction.

9. 1. The nonliving things found in an ecosystem are called abiotic (ay bi AH tihk) factors. 2. Abiotic factors affect the type and number of organisms living in ecosystems. E. Nonliving Parts of Ecosystems What is an ecosystem? 1 1

10. 1. One abiotic factor that can affect which plants and other organisms are found in an ecosystem is soil. 2. Soil is made up of a combination of minerals, water, air, and organic matter—the decaying parts of plants and animals. F. Soil What is an ecosystem? 1 1

11. F. Soil What is an ecosystem? 1 1 3. Different amounts of minerals, organic matter, water, and air make different types of soil. Click image to view movie.

12. 1.Temperature also determines which organisms live in a particular place. 2.An organism that lives in a cool mountainous ecosystem may not survive in a hot tropical rain forest. G. Temperature What is an ecosystem? 1 1

13. 1. Another important abiotic factor is water. H. Water What is an ecosystem? 1 1 2. Some organisms, such as fish, whales, and algae (AL jee), are adapted for life in water, not on land. 3. But these organisms depend upon water for more than just a home.

14. 4. Water helps all living things carry out important life processes such as digestion and waste removal. H. Water What is an ecosystem? 1 1 5. In fact, the bodies of most organisms are made up mostly of water. 6. Scientists estimate that two-thirds of the weight of the human body is water.

15. 7. The amount of water available in an ecosystem can determine how many organisms can live in a particular area. H. Water What is an ecosystem? 1 1 8. It can also serve as shelter and as a way to move from place to place.

16. 1. The Sun is the main source of energy for most organisms on Earth. I. Sunlight What is an ecosystem? 1 1 2. Energy from the Sun is used by green plants to produce food. 3. When you eat food produced by a plant, you are consuming energy that started out as sunlight.

17. 1. Every ecosystem is made up of many different biotic and abiotic factors working together. J. A Balanced System What is an ecosystem? 1 1 2. When these factors are in balance, the system is in balance, too. 3. Many events can affect the balance of a system. 4. One example would be a long period of time without rain (called a drought).

18. 1 1 Section Check Question 1 A. turtles eat insects you place in the aquarium B. turtles fight each other for food C. turtles move onto rocks heated by sunlight D. turtles pull into their shells when you startle them An aquarium of turtles can be considered a small ecosystem. Which of the following is an example of how the turtles could interact with an abiotic part of the aquarium ecosystem?

19. 1 1 Section Check Question 2 What is the largest ecosystem on Earth?

20. 1 1 Section Check Question 3 Which represents the weight of the human body that is made up of water? A. 1/4 B. 1/3 C. 1/2 D. 2/3

21. End of Chapter Summary File