ECOSYSTEMS

Learning Outcome:

To be able to explain how the components of

an ecosystem functions
 TASK 1
A. COPY: Ecosystem –community of living and
non-living things and their interrelationships
B. Sort these factors into living and non-living:
soil, rocks, water, sunlight, CO2, O2,
rainfall, plants, animals.

Living Non-living
 TASK 1
A. COPY: Ecosystem –community of living and
non-living things and their interrelationships
B. Sort these factors into living and non-living:
soil, rocks, water, sunlight, CO2, O2,
rainfall, plants, animals.
C. Draw a concept map to show how they are
all linked.
Living Non-living
 TASK 2

? ?
COPY: Food chain - line of linkages between
producers and consumers. Arrows show flow of
energy
Producer – organisms that obtain energy from the
sun
Consumer – organisms that obtain energy by eating
other organisms.
ECOSYSTEMS
? ?
Food web – Diagram to
show linkages between
producers and
consumers in an
ecosystem.
Scavengers – organisms
that eat dead animals or
plants
Decomposers -
organisms that break
down plant and animal
material eg bacteria and
fungi.
Nutrient Cycling – the
recycling of nutrients
between living
organisms and the
environment.
TASK 4
1.
? ?
What would happen
to the food web if
the foxes were all
hunted until they
were none left?
2. What would happen
if I introduced a
snake into the
ecosystem that ate
shrews and mice?
3. The sun is the most
important element in
the ecosystem. Do
you agree? Explain
why
 SOILS
LATITUDE Affects rates
of weathering

HOW FAR
FROM THE
PLANTS
COAST?
• Fertile soil = more
plants
• Warm climate = longer
growing season
CLIMATE • Wet = water for growth
ALTITUDE • Plants adapt to climate
and soil

ANIMALS
WINDS, OCEAN • More plants = more
CURRENTS animals (food and
habitat)
• Animals need water
• Animals adapt to climate
and plants
 TASK 5 – Define the following:
A. community of living and non-living things and their
interrelationships
B. the ways that plants evolve to live in certain
environmental conditions
C. organisms that obtain energy from the sun
D. organisms that obtain energy by eating other
organisms.
E. line of linkages between produces and consumers
F. Diagram to show linkages between producers and
consumers in an ecosystem.
G. organisms that eat dead animals or plants
H. organisms that break down plant and animal
material eg bacteria and fungi.
I. the recycling of nutrients between living organisms
and the environment.
 Biomes
• A biome is a large area characterized by its
vegetation, soil, climate, and wildlife eg:
Biomes
 TASK 6 - Biomes – Choose one biome
from the last slide and research it,
completing the table below
Location
Describe using latitude and give
examples
Climate Describe it
Soils Describe it and explain why it
is like this
Plants Describe the features of the
plants and explain how they are
adapted. Give examples.
Animals
Name them, explain how they are
adapted.