• An ecosystem is a complete community of biotic and its abiotic environment.

• An ecosystem can be as large as the Sahara Desert or as small as a puddle.

• Ecosystems are interactions between plants, animals, microorganisms and their environment; working together as a functional unit.

• Ecosystems will fail if they do not remain in balance.

• No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accommodate.

• Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators.

• Each organism has its own niche or role, to play.

Producers “Photosynthesis” are organisms that make their

own food through photosynthesis.

Example: Plants

3 groups: based on how organisms obtain their food

Consumers “Eat” are organisms that consume (eat)

producers and other consumers to get energy.

Examples: Animals

Types of Consumers Herbivores are animals that eat only plants. Carnivores eat mainly other animals. Omnivores eat a significant amount

of both plants and animals.

Decomposers “Break Down” are organisms that break down dead

matter or animal wastes to get energy. Examples: Fungus and Bacteria

are diagrams that show the transfer of energy. All food chains begin with producers. A food chain starts with what gets eaten and the

arrows point towards what does the eating. Food chains only go in one direction.

The food chain below is an example of one that you might find in an ecosystem.

Primary consumer Secondary

consumer

Tertiary consumer

ProducerDecomposer

(bacteria)

In the wild, animals may eat more than one thing, so they belong to more than one food chain.

A food web shows how the food chains in an ecosystem connect to one another.

To get the food they need, small herbivores may eat lots of different plants, and carnivores may eat many different animals.

The arrows in the diagram

show the direction of

energy flow in each food

chain.

Name the parts of this food chain.

Primary consumer

s

Secondary

consumer

Tertiary consume

r

Producer

1.

2.

3.

4.

Organisms living in a habitat depend on each other. If one part of a food chain dies out or is greatly

reduced, the consumers have to find alternative food, move away, or starve.

Forests Grasslands Deserts Tundra Freshwater Marine Water

Climate Zones: Tropical Zone Temperate

Zone Polar Zone

A biome is a large region on Earth characterized by a

specific type of climate and the biotic things that live there.Climate is the average weather conditions

in an area over a long period of time.

Terrestrial Ecosystems Freshwater

Ecosystems Marine Ecosystems

• Temperate Deciduous Forests

• Coniferous Forests• Tropical Rain Forests• Chaparral• Temperate Grasslands• Tropical Savanna• Tropical Deserts• Temperate Desert• Artic Tundra• Alpine Tundra

• Lakes• Ponds• Rivers• Streams• Wetlands

Oceans

I. Objective:In this activity students will identify the characteristics of ecosystems and how different ecosystems support different organisms.

II. Procedure:On a construction paper create a model of an ecosystem that will be assigned to your group. Drawings, pictures, cut outs and or natural materials such as grass or leaves can be used to create your model.Fill in the following with the appropriate information:

• Description: a brief summary of what the ecosystem is.• Name of Ecosystem• Average Temperature• Average Precipitation• Soil Characteristics (ex. Rocky)• Examples of Plants (at least 3)• Examples of Animals (at least 3)• Type of Biome (ex. Desert)• Example of a Place where this ecosystem is found (ex. Southern

California)