3 Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems

ENCOUNTER THE PHENOMENON

Write the Encounter the Phenomenon question for this module.

Use the “What I Know” column to list the things you know about the Encounter the Phenomenon
question. Then list the questions you have about the Encounter the Phenomenon question in the
“What I Want to Find Out” column. As you read the module, fill in the “What I Learned” column.

K W L
What I Know What I Want to Find Out What I Learned
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Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
1 Community Ecology
REVIEW Recall the definition of the Review Vocabulary term.
VOCABULARY
abiotic factor
abiotic factor

NEW VOCABULARY Use the new vocabulary terms to complete the following sentences
climax community Your includes the people, other animals, plants,
bacteria, and fungi in your area. Changing abiotic or biotic factors can
community
trigger —the replacement of one
ecological succession community with another. occurs when
primary succession a community becomes established in an area of exposed rock without
topsoil. Eventually, a stable, mature can
secondary succession develop from bare rock. If a disturbance, such as fire, removes the
community but not the soil, an orderly and predictable change called
restores the community over time.

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 1 Community Ecology (continued)
Predict how an unusually prolonged drought might affect a
biological community.

Get It? Describe how the community where you live may have
changed over time because of succession.

Contrast primary succession and secondary succession. Give an

example of each.
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Sequence the following steps in the primary succession of a forest by

writing each step in the flowchart.
• perennial herbs and grasses • bare rock
• lichens • shrubs and shade-intolerant trees
• shade-tolerant trees • small annual plants

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1 Community Ecology (continued)
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
1. Predict how unfavorable abiotic and biotic factors affect a species.

2. Classify the stage of succession of a field that is becoming overgrown with shrubs
after a few years of disuse.

3. Contrast primary and secondary succession.

4. Describe how the stages of succession can change a rocky field into a mature
forest.

5. List at least five organisms that are present in your biological community. Then write

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a paragraph that provides evidence of how an abiotic factor supports each
organism.

6. Predict what might happen to your backyard if it was left unattended for several
years. Use information from this lesson to explain your prediction.

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