Ecosystems (Part 1) Notes

Biotic

• Definition: A living component of an ecosystem.

• Examples:– Trees– Grass– Birds– Humans– Flowers

Abiotic

• Definition: A non-living component of an ecosystem.

• Examples:– Clouds– Water– Temperature– Air– Rocks– Minerals

Producer

• Definition: An organism that makes its own food using sunlight.

• Examples:– Trees– Flowers– Plants

Consumer

• Definition: An organism that eats other organisms to get energy.

• Examples:– Humans– Goats–Wolves

Decomposer

• Definition: An organism that breaks down dead organisms to get energy.

• Examples:– Bacteria–Worms– Fungi

Population

• Definition: A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area.

• Examples:– A group of jellyfish living in the same

area of the ocean– A group of wolves living together in

Alaska

Community

• Definition: All of the populations of species living and interacting together in the same habitat.

• Examples:– Jellyfish, sharks, and plankton all living

together and interacting in the same ocean– Wolves, deer, and bears all living together

and interacting in Alaska

Ecosystem

• Definition: A community of organisms and their abiotic environment.

• Examples:– Jellyfish, sharks, plankton, water, and

temperature–Wolves, deer, bears, rocks, clouds,

temperature

Population, Community, Ecosystem

Population, Community, Ecosystem

Population, Community, Ecosystem

Influences on Population Size

• Food supply• Temperature• Rainfall• Disease• Pollution• Invasive (new) species• Human development

Indirect Causes of Population Change

• Changes in rainfall or average temperature can indirectly influence plant populations, which can indirectly influence animal populations that eat those plants for food.

Invasive Species

• New (invasive) species in an ecosystem can influence changes in populations.

• Zebra mussels and purple loosetrife cause changes in the populations of native species.