EcosystemsAn ecosystem is a combination of all the living and non-living elements of an area. It is made up of all the living (such as plants, animals, and people) and non-living (such as topography, climate, and water) elements in a particular area.

ECOLOGYECOLOGY is the study of the natural environment and of the relations of organisms to each other and to their surroundings.

In this topic we will all be ecologists!

Types of ecosystemsDesertRainforestBushlandCoral reefsMangrovesRiversCavePondSand duneGrasslandsAlpine

Ecosystems are made up of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors.

Biotic factorsPlants AnimalsFungiMicro-organisms. E.g. bacteria,

Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors in an ecosystem can determine which organisms can live there. They include:SunlightWindTemperatureAvailability of waterSoil nutrientsRocks

Desert

Rainforest

Bushland

Coral Reefs

Mangroves

Rivers

Cave

Pond

Sand dune

Grassland

Alpine

Major Ecosystems of the World

Australias major ecosystems

PopulationA population is a group of organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same time e.g. The Bream population in the Shoalhaven River. When all of the populations in an ecosystem interact and form a community.

If the population's needs are not met, it will move to a better habitat. Two different populations can not occupy the same niche at the same time, however. So the processes of competition, predation, cooperation, and symbiosis occur.

CommunityA community is a number of different populations interacting with each other.

The community of living things interacts with the non-living world around it to form an ecosystem.

HabitatWithin each ecosystem, there are habitats which may also vary in size.

A habitat is the place where a population lives. For example, a population of ants has its own habitat.

A micro habitat is a habitat within a habitat e.g. a rock pool on a rock platform.

The habitat must supply the needs of organisms, such as food, water, temperature, oxygen, and minerals.

InteractionsPopulations of animals interact with each other and their environment in a variety of ways:Feeding behavior e.g. herbivores & carnivores, predation.Competition e.g. food (intra) & space (inter)Relationships e.g. parasitism

Human Impacts on the environment

Global Warming Use of CFC's and impacts on the Ozone Layer Overuse of Pesticides Use of PCB's Deforestation Destruction of Wetlands Urban Encroachment Endangered Species Acid Rain Water Contamination Use of Fossil Fuels Dams for Hydro Electricity Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Oil Spills Smog Air Pollution Soil Erosion Introduction of Invasive Species Heavy Metals Salting Roads Crop Irrigation Irrigation, land erosion and pesticide run off