ECOSYSTEMS

guided reading
by laney lee
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 audio file:
The benefits that students receive from being read to are well
documented and numerous. They include:
• improved listening comprehensio
• lengthening attention span
• expanding vocabular
• improving reading uenc
In other words, kids who are read to have good vocabularies, write well,
and do well overall in school
(Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson,
1985 U. S. Department of https://
Education meta-study of 10,000 drive.google.com/ le/
studies)
d/
Please access the mp3 audio file 1cMprNoo_sHqjHkWO
using the link at the right. Feel MemrxRTg2-G3a_Eo/
free to share this link with view?usp=sharing
students and parents as well
.

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 ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

An organism is any living thing. Some organisms, like bacteria, are microscopic.
Others may be plants, animals, algae, fungi, or fish. Take a look at these examples:

Bacteria Algae Rabbit Fish

A species is all of the same kind of organism who are able to reproduce and have
babies together. A population is all the members of the same species who live in the
same area.

All the populations of all the living things combined in an area make up the
community.

Take a look at the image. Count the total

numbers of each of the following.

Number of
organisms

Number of
species

Population of
sh

Which
species are a
part of this
community?

An ecosystem, however, cannot exist with living things alone. The biotic (living) parts
of the ecosystem also interact with the abiotic (nonliving) elements of the place
where they live. The abiotic factors in the image above include the rocks, sand,
water, and air. It also includes things that you can’t see like the temperature of the
water, the pH balance, and the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.
Ecosystems are made up of the community of living things in an area together with
their abiotic surroundings.

Ecosystems can be large or small. Usually, we focus on the largest global

ecosystems like oceans, forests and deserts, but don’t forget about the tiny, unique
ecosystems that exist in places like a puddle of water, a rotting log, and there is even
©Laney Lee 2020
fi

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

a thriving ecosystem inside your gut! As a matter of fact, there are over 500 species
that call your belly home. Just because they’re microscopic doesn’t mean that they’re
not important

Within their ecosystems, organisms can find a habitat. Their habitat is the place
where they live and can find everything they need to survive: food, water, other
members of their species to reproduce with, etc. Sometimes, though, there simply
isn’t enough resources to go around. In order to avoid competition, or the process of
battling for a limited resource, species may choose instead to occupy a different
niche.

A niche (pronounced neesh) is the very specific area that an individual occupies in
their habitat. Imagine a class of 25 students have been brought to the local park
(their new habitat) to play. Will they all fight for the same set of swings? Or will
students naturally find a space where they can play without waiting or arguing?
Some will go to the swings, but others will content themselves playing tag in a field.
Still others will climb on the jungle gym equipment. Selecting various places to play is
very similar to the way organisms choose a niche. By doing so, everyone can have
what they need without the struggle of competition.

Flamingo Duck Avocet Oyster Catcher Plover

How does the behavior shown by the birds in the image above help prevent
competition among species?

©Laney Lee 2020

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

Fill in the blanks. A word bank has been provided for your convenience.

ORGANISM
COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM
BIOTIC
HABITAT NICHE
SPECIES
ABIOTIC POPULATION
COMPETITION
1. All of the members of the same species living in an area are known as a
___________________
2. In order to avoid competition, species will occupy a specific _______________ in
an ecosystem
3. The nonliving components of an ecosystem are known as ____________ factors
4. The place where an organism lives and meets its needs is known as its
______________
5. A group of similar organisms who are capable of reproducing together are known
as a ______________
6. A(n) _______________ is a living thing
7. The living components of an ecosystem are known as ______________ factors
8. All of the living things in an area make up a _________________
9. To fight for limited resources is known as _________________
10. All of the interconnected biotic and abiotic factors in an area are collectively
known as an ___________________.

Sort the following terms by smallest to

largest. Note: each successive term
encompasses the previous term. Words:
ecosystem, species, community,
population

D C B A A : ___________________

B : ___________________

C : ___________________

D : ____________________

©Laney Lee 2020

.

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

Ecosystems are defined by interdependence.
Interdependence means that every part of the
ecosystem depends on every other part of the
ecosystem for survival.

Construct an explanation for how each of the

following environmental changes would affect the
populations of the organisms who live in a pond
ecosystem. (Sample species: frogs, small and
large fish, insects, snakes, birds, algae, aquatic
plants)

1. Increase in pollution in streams leading to the pon

2. Decrease in the number of predators in the pon

3. Decrease in average daily sunlight exposur

4. Introduction of a new species of carnivorous (eats other animals) water snake

©Laney Lee 2020

ECOSYSTEMS
KEY
by laney lee
 ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________
An organism is any living thing. Some organisms, like bacteria, are microscopic.
Others may be plants, animals, algae, fungi, or fish. Take a look at these examples:

Bacteria Algae Rabbit Fish

A species is all of the same kind of organism who are able to reproduce and have
babies together. A population is all the members of the same species who live in the
same area.

All the populations of all the living things combined in an area make up the
community.

Take a look at the image. Count the total

numbers of each of the following.

Number of
organisms 9
Number of
species 3 or 4
Population of
sh 3
Which
species are a Fish, crab, birds,
part of this
community?
sea plants

An ecosystem, however, cannot exist with living things alone. The biotic (living) parts
of the ecosystem also interact with the abiotic (nonliving) elements of the place
where they live. The abiotic factors in the image above include the rocks, sand,
water, and air. It also includes things that you can’t see like the temperature of the
water, the pH balance, and the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water.
Ecosystems are made up of the community of living things in an area together with
their their abiotic surroundings.

Ecosystems can be large or small. Usually, we focus on the largest global

ecosystems like oceans, forests and deserts, but don’t forget about the tiny, unique
ecosystems that exist in places like a puddle of water, a rotting log, and there is even
©Laney Lee 2020
fi

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

a thriving ecosystem inside your gut! As a matter of fact, there are over 500 species
that call your belly home. Just because they’re microscopic doesn’t mean that they’re
not important

Within their ecosystems, organisms can find a habitat. Their habitat is the place
where they live and can find everything they need to survive: food, water, other
members of their species to reproduce with, etc. Sometimes, though, there simply
isn’t enough resources to go around. In order to avoid competition, or the process of
battling for a limited resource, species may choose instead to occupy a different
niche.

A niche (pronounced neesh) is the very specific area that an individual occupies in
their habitat. Imagine a class of 25 students have been brought to the local park
(their new habitat) to play. Will they all fight for the same set of swings? Or will
students naturally find a space where they can play without waiting or arguing?
Some will go to the swings, but others will content themselves playing tag in a field.
Still others will climb on the jungle gym equipment. Selecting various places to play is
very similar to the way organisms choose a niche. By doing so, everyone can have
what they need without the struggle of competition.

Flamingo Duck Avocet Oyster Catcher Plover

How does the behavior shown by the birds in the image above help prevent
competition among species?

By feeding in slightly di erent areas, the birds avoid having to

compete with other species for food.

©Laney Lee 2020

ff

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

Fill in the blanks. A word bank has been provided for your convenience.

ORGANISM
COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM
BIOTIC
HABITAT NICHE
SPECIES
ABIOTIC POPULATION
COMPETITION
1. All of the members of the same species living in an area are known as a
Population
___________________
2. Niche
In order to avoid competition, species will occupy a specific _______________ in
an ecosystem
3. Abiotic
The nonliving components of an ecosystem are known as ____________ factors
4. The place where an organism lives and meets its needs is known as its
Habitat
______________
5. A group of similar organisms who are capable of reproducing together are known
Species
as a ______________
6. Organism
A(n) _______________ is a living thing
7. Biotic
The living components of an ecosystem are known as ______________ factors
Community
8. All of the living things in an area make up a _________________
Competition
9. To fight for limited resources is known as _________________
10. All of the interconnected biotic and abiotic factors in an area are collectively
Ecosystem
known as an ___________________.

Sort the following terms by smallest to

largest. Note: each successive term
encompasses the previous term. Words:
ecosystem, species, community,
population

Species
D C B A A : ___________________

Population
B : ___________________

Community
C : ___________________

Ecosystem
D : ____________________

©Laney Lee 2020

.

ECOSYSTEMS Name: _____________

Ecosystems are defined by interdependence.
Interdependence means that every part of the
ecosystem depends on every other part of the
ecosystem for survival.

Construct an explanation for how each of the

following environmental changes would affect the
populations of the organisms who live in a pond
ecosystem. (Sample species: frogs, small and
large fish, insects, snakes, birds, algae, aquatic
plants)
(ANSWERS WILL VARY)
1. Increase in pollution in streams leading to the pon

Plants and animals in the pond will be negatively a ected as

the content of the water changes. This could have e ects
on plant growth and animal reproduction/survival rates.

2. Decrease in the number of predators in the pon

Decreasing the number of predators will cause a surge in
the prey populations. Prey may over produce and end up
competing for limited resources.

3. Decrease in average daily sunlight exposur

Plant species will be a ected rst and then their lower
growth rate will likely cause decreases in populations
throughout the rest of the food web.

4. Introduction of a new species of carnivorous (eats other animals) water snake

This invasive species will likely cause a decrease in prey

populations. Lower prey populations could lead to
competition and lowered predator populations in the long
run.
©Laney Lee 2020

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