Components of an Ecosystem

Society

. A society is a closely related population of animals that work together for the benefit of the whole group. ex. Honeybees- every member has a specific.

Ecosystem

. All the living and non-living things that interact in a particular area make up an ecosystem . A prairie is just one of the many different ecosystems found on Earth . Other ecosystems include: mountain streams, deep oceans, swamps and dense forests.

Biotic Factors

. An organism interacts with and responds to bot the living and nonliving things in its environment. . The living parts of an ecosystem are called biotic factors. examples: grass, plants, hawks, ferrets, eagles worms fungi and bacteria

Community

. Most ecosystems contain more than one type of organism. . All the different populations that live together in an area make up a community. . To be considered a community, the different populations must live close enough together to interact.

Sunlight

. Source of energy for photosynthesis. . The main energy source for life on earth. . Important for plants, algae and other living things. . Places that receive little to no sunlight-like caves-have only a few organisms that can live their.

Soil

A mixture of rock fragments, nutrients, air, water and the decaying remains of living things. . Types of soil influence the kinds of plants that can grow there. . Microscopic organisms such as bacteria live in soil and break down the remains of other living things.

Water

All living things need water to carry out their life processes. Plants and algae use water, along with sunlight and carbon dioxide, to make food in the process of photosynthesis.

ECOLOGIST

Are scientists who study ecology. They look at how all the biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem are related.

Levels of organization in an ecosystem

Organism- The smalles unit of organization, that belongs to a population. Population- Other members of its species that belong to a community. Community- different species in an ecosystem. Ecosystem-Community and abiotic factors together. REMBER (OPCE)

TEMPERATURE

THE TEMPERATURES OF AN AREA DETERMINE IF AN ORGANISM CAN LIVE THERE. Ex: Warm areas you might see palm trees, but not in very cold areas, Some animals respond to very hot or very cold temperatures by altering their environment. Ex: Prairie dags line their dens with grass to keep warm.

Habitats

The place where an organism lives in an ecosystem. The habitat provides food, shelter, and other resources the organism needs such as proper temperature, water, and space

ECOLOGY

The study of how living things interact with each other and their environment

Oxygen

colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that most organisms need to survive.

Population

groups of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area. . Populations can be as small as a blade of grass or as large as the whole planet. . Individual members in some populations do not interact very much. . Some populations are very structured and relate to one another in specific was.

Abiotic Factors

nonliving parts of an ecosystem. .Remember-TWOSS 1. TEMPERATURE 2. WATER 3. OXYGEN 4. SUNLIGHT 5. SOIL