Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

19.3 Component of an ecosystem: the biotic community

(Book 3, p. 19-17)

A Describing the biotic community (Book 3, p. 19-17)

n The biotic community is the living component of an ecosystem. Common terms used to
describe it include:

1 Niche and habitat

n A (1) _______________ is the place where an organism lives.
n A (2) _______________ (生態位) is the role that an organism plays in its environment. It is
determined by the (3) _______________ range in which the organisms live, the type of food
they eat, and the (4) _______________ they occupy.

2 Species diversity
n (5) _______________ _______________ (物種多樣性) refers to the variety of organisms that
make up a community. It is determined by the (6) _______________ _______________ (i.e.
the number of species in the community) and the (7) _______________ _______________ of
different species (i.e. the proportion of different species within the community).
n Example:
Species
A B C D
Community

1 25 24 28 23

2 94 2 2 2

Communities 1 and 2 have the same species richness because they are both made up of four
different species (A, B, C and D). However, the four species are present in
(8) _______________ (similar / different) proportions in community 1 and we can easily
notice the four different species. We say that the species diversity of community 1 is
(9) _______________ (higher / lower) than that of community 2.

3 Dominant species
n Among the different species in a community, usually a few species exert a strong influence on
the composition and diversity of the community. These species are called the
(10) _______________ _______________ (優勢種).
n In terrestrial ecosystems, the dominant species are usually the commonest types of
(11) _______________ (plants / animals).

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B Interactions among organisms in a community (Book 3, p. 19-19)

n Organisms in a community interact with one another in different ways. They may gain benefit
(+), be harmed (–) or not be affected (0).

1 Predation (+ / –)
n In (12) _______________ (捕食), the predator (捕食者) gains benefit (+) while the
(13) _______________ (獵物) is harmed (–).
n The change in the population of the predator is always (14) _______________ (preceding /
lagging behind) that of the prey:

Ž prey
population

   predator

time
‡ The predator-prey cycle

ΠThe prey has plenty of food. It breeds and increases in number.

 An increase in the prey population means that more food is available for the predator. So
the predator population (15) _______________ (increases / decreases).
Ž A large number of predator feed on a large number of prey. So the prey population
(16) _______________ (increases / decreases).
 As the food supply becomes limited, the predator population (17) _______________
(increases / decreases).
 The number of prey recovers and the cycle repeats itself.

2 Competition (– / –)
n All organisms involved in (18) _______________ (競爭) are harmed (–).
n Two major types of competition:
Ø (19) _______________ competition (種間競爭) among organisms of different species
Ø (20) _______________ competition (種內競爭) among organisms of the same species.
n Intraspecific competition is usually (21) _______________ (more / less) intense because
individuals of the same species have the same niche and same (22) _______________.

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3 Commensalism (+ / 0)
n (23) _______________ (偏利共棲) is a relationship in which two organisms live together in
such a way that one gains benefits (+) while the other is not affected (0).
n Example:
Ø Some egrets (鷺) stay on the back of elephants or
cattle. The egrets benefit from feeding on insects
stirred up by the animal. The elephants or cattle
are unaffected.

4 Mutualism (+ / +)
n (24) _______________ (互利共生) refers to the relationship in which two organisms live in
such a way that both gain benefits (+).
n Example:
Ø Lichens consist of algae and fungi living together.
The algae make food by photosynthesis for both
organisms while the fungi hold water and provide
protection and anchorage for both.

5 Parasitism (+ / –)
n (25) _______________ (寄生) refers to the relationship in which the (26) _______________
(寄生物) lives on or inside the (27) _______________ (寄主), obtaining benefits (+) from the

host but causing harm (–) to them.

n Example:
Ø Tapeworms (絛蟲) live in the (28) _______________ of some mammals (e.g. cats, pigs,
cattle and humans) and absorb digested food from them. The hosts are harmed through
the loss of nutrients.

C Ecological succession (Book 3, p. 19-26)

n The series of changes in the composition of a community over a period of time is called
(29) _______________ _______________ (生態演替).
n During the process, organisms modify their environment in ways that allow other species to
come in and (30) _______________ them. The process repeats and species diversity
progressively (31) _______________ (increases / decreases) to a maximum, when a
(32) _______________ _______________ (頂級羣落) is reached.
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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

1 Primary succession

0–15 years 15–35 years 35–80 years 80–115 years 115+ years

trees

mosses, ferns shrubs

and grass
barren area with
some lichens

‡ Primary succession

n Primary succession (原生演替) starts with the colonization of a (33) _______________ (光禿)
area where there were no soil or organisms before.
n The process of primary succession:
I Barren rocks are exposed after a glacier retreat (冰川後退). They are broken up into
smaller particles because of weathering (風化). Lichens first colonize the area and form
the (34) _______________ _______________ (先鋒羣落). The dead bodies of the lichens
are decomposed to become organic matter, which gradually forms the
(35) _______________ together with small rock particles.
II Mosses, ferns and grass start to grow in the soil. They become established over most part
of the rocks and become the (36) _______________ species. They provide food and
shelter for plant-eating animals.
III Dead, decaying plants and animals, as well as animal waste form (37) _______________
which further enriches the soil. The soil becomes thick enough for the growth of
(38) _______________ which grow over the mosses, ferns and grass. More animals are
attracted to the habitat for food and shelter.
IV Finally, the soil becomes thick and rich in (39) _______________. It can support the
growth of (40) _______________ which grow over the shrubs. The habitat turns into a
woodland that attracts increasing numbers of animals. A (41) _______________
_______________ is reached.
n Characteristics of a climax community:
Ø It has the largest variety of (42) _______________, maximum biomass and greatest
organism (43) _______________.
Ø The energy input to the ecosystem is (44) _______________ by the energy consumed.
Ø If a climax community is disturbed by some external forces (e.g. a hill fire), it will
redevelop until it attains stability again. Secondary succession takes place in this case.
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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

2 Secondary succession

0–2 years 2–20 years 20–70 years trees 70+ years

area that once

supported life
shrubs and
grass and small trees
ferns

‡ Secondary succession

n Secondary succession (次生演替) takes place in areas that once supported life but are now
barren, e.g. on hillsides after a hill fire or abandoned fields.
n Differences between primary succession and secondary succession:
Primary succession Secondary succession

Where it In barren areas where no organisms In areas where organisms were present
takes place and soil were present before before but is now barren

Pioneer (45) _______________ Grasses and (46) _______________

community because soil is already present

Time needed (47) _______________ (48) _______________

to reach (Shorter / Longer) (Shorter / Longer) because seeds, roots
climax and underground vegetative organs of
community plants are present in the soil

19.4 Energy flow in an ecosystem (Book 3, p. 19-30)

A The sun as the ultimate source of energy (Book 3, p. 19-30)

n Energy ultimately comes from the (1) _______________. Light energy is captured by green
plants through (2) _______________ and then converted into (3) _______________ energy in
the plants.
n Energy flows in the form of (4) _______________ in an ecosystem.
n A continual input of energy from the sun is essential for maintaining a stable ecosystem
because energy is (5) _______________ from the organisms through different processes.

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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

B Food chains and food webs (Book 3, p. 19-31)

1 Food chains
n A (6) _______________ _______________ (食物鏈) shows the sequence of organisms in a
particular feeding relationship and the direction of (7) _______________ and
(8) _______________ flow from one organism to another.

grass rabbit fox wolf ( means eaten by)

‡ An example of food chain

n Organisms in a food chain may act as (9) _______________ (生產者), (10) _______________
(消費者) or (11) _______________ (分解者), depending on their roles in the energy flow.

Role of organism Description

Producers n Can make their own food (i.e. (12) _______________ 自養生物)
n Most of them are photosynthetic

Consumers n Feed on other organisms (i.e. (13) _______________ 異養生物)

n Can be classified into three types depending on their positions in the
food chain:
Ø (14) _______________ consumers (初級消費者), which feed on
producers
Ø (15) _______________ consumers (次級消費者), which feed on
primary consumers
Ø (16) _______________ consumers (三級消費者), which feed on
secondary consumers

n In the food chain above, the (17) _______________ is the producer, the (18) ______________
is the primary consumer, the (19) _______________ is the secondary consumer, while the
(20) _______________ is the tertiary consumer.

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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

2 Food webs
n A (21) _______________ _______________ (食物網) shows all the possible
(22) _______________ relationships among selected organisms in an ecosystem.

bear

wolf

fox

bird

deer rabbit grasshopper caterpillar

grass oak tree

‡ A food web in a forest

n An organism may play different roles in different food chains. In the food web above,
the fox is a (23) _______________ consumer when it eats the rabbit. It becomes a
(24) _______________ consumer when it eats the bird.
n Pay attention to the following points when drawing a food web:
Ø Producers should be put at the (25) _______________ (bottom / top) of the food web.
Ø Organisms at the same feeding level should be put at the same level.
Ø Crossing of arrows should be avoided.

C Energy lost along trophic levels (Book 3, p. 19-32)

n A (26) _______________ _______________ (營養級) is the feeding level of an organism,
depending on its position in a food chain. Energy flows from (27) _______________
(higher / lower) to (28) _______________ (higher / lower) trophic levels.
Organism in the food chain Role in the food chain Trophic level Direction of energy flow

Wolf Tertiary consumer Fourth

Fox Secondary consumer Third

Rabbit Primary consumer Second

Grass (29) _____________ First

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n When energy is transferred from one trophic level to another, a large portion of energy is lost
to the surroundings by four main ways.
Way of energy loss Description

Uneaten materials n (30) _______________ energy stored in the uneaten body material is
not passed to higher trophic levels.

Undigested and n Usually, a large proportion of organisms are (31) _______________

egested materials and unabsorbed when eaten by others.
n These materials will be passed out as (32) _______________.

Excretory products n Energy is lost through the (33) _______________ products

(e.g. carbon dioxide and urea) of organisms.

As heat during n The chemical energy in the food eaten is released as heat through
respiration (34) _______________ or used to support various body functions.

dead bodies, egested materials

heat loss and excretory products
fourth trophic level
due to (tertiary consumers)
respiration
dead bodies, egested materials
heat loss and excretory products
third trophic level
due to

decomposers
(secondary consumers)
respiration heat loss
dead bodies, egested materials due to
heat loss and excretory products respiration
second trophic level
due to
(primary consumers)
respiration

heat loss dead bodies

first trophic level
due to
(producers)
respiration
Key:
energy flow along trophic levels
sun energy lost from trophic levels

‡ Summary of energy flow and energy lost along trophic levels in an ecosystem

n With fewer trophic levels, less energy is lost. Therefore, a shorter food chain can support
(35) _______________ (more / less) consumers than a longer food chain.
n Role of decomposers in an ecosystem:
Ø Decomposers are (36) _______________ (腐生生物). They secrete digestive enzymes to
break down dead organic matter. This process is called (37) _______________ (分解).
Chemical energy stored in the dead organic matter is transferred to the decomposers.
Ø Decomposers also play an important role in (38) _______________ cycling.

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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19
D Ecological pyramids (Book 3, p. 19-36)
n Ecological pyramids (生態錐體) represents the flow of energy along trophic levels.
1 Pyramid of numbers
n (39) _______________ _____ _______________ (數量錐體) is a bar diagram showing the
number of organisms at each trophic level. The (40) _______________ of each bar is
proportional to the number of organisms at that trophic level.
a For a food chain on a grassland: grass grasshopper toad eagle
tertiary consumer 1 eagle
secondary consumers 50 toads
primary consumers 80 grasshoppers
producers 200 000 grass
b For all organisms in a grassland habitat:
tertiary consumers 3 birds and moles
secondary consumers 35 000 spiders, ants, beeflies, etc.
primary consumers 700 000 herbivorous insects
producers 5 800 000 grass
‡ Examples of pyramid of numbers
n The size of the bars (41) _______________ up the trophic levels because:
Ø less energy is available to organisms at higher trophic levels
Ø a predator usually requires more energy to maintain its life due to its larger body size.
Therefore, the number of organisms that can be supported at a higher trophic level is
usually (42) _______________ (larger / smaller).
n In some cases, an inverted pyramid of numbers is observed:
a oak tree caterpillar bird b dog flea
secondary consumers 6 birds parasites 1200 fleas
primary consumers 10 000 caterpillars host 1 dog
producer 1 oak tree
n A single tree can support a large number n One host (dog) can support many parasites
of insects such as caterpillars. (fleas).
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Lesson worksheet Book 3, Ch 19

2 Pyramid of biomass
n A pyramid of biomass (生物量錐體) is a bar diagram showing the total (43) _______________
_______________ of organisms at each trophic level in a given unit area at a particular
point of time.
n The case of an inverted pyramid of numbers can be presented as a normal pyramid if a
pyramid of biomass is used.

secondary consumers birds (20 g m–2)

primary consumers caterpillars (80 g m–2)

producer oak tree (1600 g m–2)

‡ A pyramid of biomass for organisms living on an oak tree

n A pyramid of biomass may become inverted when organisms at a lower trophic level have a
much higher (44) _______________ rate and shorter lifespan than organisms at a higher
trophic level.

For the food chain: phytoplankton zooplankton (浮游動物)

primary consumers zooplankton (21 g m–2)

producers phytoplankton (4 g m–2)

‡ An inverted pyramid of biomass for phytoplankton and zooplankton

3 Limitations of ecological pyramids

n The energy flow to (45) _______________ is not considered.
n The (46) _______________ _______________ of an organism, especially carnivores
(肉食性動物), may vary with the type of food eaten. Some organisms may also change their

(47) _______________ as they grow.

Drawing pyramid of numbers and pyramid of biomass (Book 3, p. 19-41)

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