Ecosystems exist at a range of scales and involve the interaction between biotic and abiotic components Flashcards
ecosystem
community of plants and animals living together in a habitat
example of a small scale ecosystem
pond
example of larger scale ecosystem
lake
example of a largest scale ecosystem
also called a biome e.g. tropical rainforest
producer
organism that absorbs energy from the sun through photosynthesis to make their own food
consumer
eat other organisms for food
decomposers
break down dead tissue and recycles the nutrients back to the environment
food chain
connections between organisms that rely on each other as a source of food
food web
complex hierarchy of organisms relying on each other for food
nutrient cycle
process where organisms extract nutrients necessary for growth from soil or water before passing them down through the food chain and ultimately back to the soil and water when they die
abiotic components of an ecosystem
-solar energy
-water
-air
rocks and soil
biotic components of an ecosystem
-flora (plants)
-fauna (animals and decomposers)
factors that affect the freshwater pond
-climate/temperature –> evaporation
-weather –> evaporation
-sunlight –> evaporation
-rock type (affects what lives there) –> quality of water
-vegetation (affects what lives there)
different areas that make up the freshwater pond
-energy from the sun
-air above pond, birds and insects in this zone, food found on water surface, in water or at pond margin
-pond surface, animals breath through lungs, gills or skin, lots of oxygen and light available
-pond margin, shelter for insects and plants, lots to eat, lots of sunlight and air
-mid pond water, fish main predators, found food within water column and at surface and pond bottom
-pond bottom, lots of shelter in mud and gravels, food sinks to bottom for scavengers and decomposers, less light and oxygen
what would happen if I took ___ from the ecosystem?
-the sun –> everything would die
-herbivores –> carnivores would die but plants would flourish
-precipitation –> everything would die
-soil –>everything would die
-carnivores –> herbivores would increase but plants would decrease
-decomposers –> interrupts nutrient cycle
