Ecosystems Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
It is a unit that includes all the biotic (living) parts e.g. Plants and animals and the abiotic (non-living) parts e.g. Soil and climate in an area
How do you class the organisms in ecosystems?
They can be classed as producers, consumers or decomposers
What is a producer?
It is an organism that uses sunlight energy to produce food
What is a consumer and what does it eat?
It is an organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms. It eats producers or other consumers.
What does a food chain show you?
It shows you what eats what.
What does a food web show you?
It shows lots of food chains and how they overlap
What is a decomposer and what does it eat?
It is an organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead material e.g. Dead producers, dead consumers or fallen leaves.
Are bacteria and fungi decomposers and what do they do?
Yes. They return nutrients to the soil, where they can be used by plants.
What is an example of a small scale ecosystem?
A hedgerow. It includes plants that make up the hedgerow, the organisms that live in it and feed on it. The soil in the area and the rainfall and sunshine it receives.
What are the producers in a hedgerow called?
They are called hawthorn bushes and blackberry bushes
What are the consumers in a hedgerow called?
The consumers are called thrushes, ladybirds, spiders, greenfly, sparrows and sparrowhawks.
Are the different parts of ecosystems interdependent?
Yes
Describe how an increase in rainfall might affect the plants and animals in a hedgerow ecosystems?
Excess flooding and washing away the food for animals. It will wash away the soil and nutrients which makes the soil infertile.
