Population

All the organisms in an ecosystem which belong to the same species make up a population.

Populations in our area include: Humans Deer Squirrels Mice Different types of birds Many others!

Community

All the populations in an ecosystem make up a community.

All the birds, deer, mice, squirrels, and humans living together in Klein make a community.

Habitats

The place an organism lives is its habitat. A woodpecker’s habitat is a tree. A snake living in the forest uses the forest floor as its habitat.

What is your habitat?

What does a habitat provide?

An organism’s habitat provides the correct temperature and amount of moisture an organism needs.

For example, a tadpole’s habitat must include water!

What else does a habitat provide?

An organisms’ habitat also provides the correct kinds of food and shelter an organism requires.

For example, a salamander in the forest requires dark places to

live and insects to eat. This is all provided by the forest floor!

Niche

A niche describes how an organism survives

How an organism obtains food and shelter How an organism avoids danger How an organism cares for its young Can you describe your niche?

So What’s a Microhabitat?

The prefix “Micro” = small or very small

Habitat = the place an organism lives

So Microhabitat = a localized (small) habitat within a larger ecosystem

An aquarium is a good example of a microhabitat

Microhabitat Examples

A log rotting in the woods What species live here?

Termites Bacteria Moss Fungus Millipedes Spiders Worms

Microhabitats

Each microhabitat supports a variety of species

What about the microhabitat of our schoolyard?

Our schoolyard is a microhabitat within a temperate deciduous forest biome What species live outside our school?

Schindewolf Schoolyard Species

Birds – can you name specific species?

Insects – what kinds?

Squirrels Decomposers –

what kinds? What else can

you think of?

Other Microhabitats

What about the pond next door?

Examples of Microhabitats in our schoolyard.

Variety

Do the species living in the microhabitat of the pond also live in our schoolyard?

Variety

Just as each biome supports different species due to its environment, each microhabitat within a biome can support different species

Would a mouse living in a barn want to live in a pond? Why?