Biotic Factors: The living parts of an ecosystem.

Examples:

Animals

Fungus

Trees

Plants

Humans

Bacteria

Abiotic Factors: Non-living parts of an ecosystem.

Examples:

-Soil

-Rocks

-Minerals

-Water

-Air/Gases

-Weather/Climate

Biosphere:Area where there are living

things on earth

-From the bottom of the ocean to 10 miles of atmosphere.

Biome:

A large natural area classified by its characteristics of vegetation and climate.

Ecosystem: A habitat where a community of organisms—animals, people, and plants—interact with one another and with their physical environment.

It includes other components such as soils, water, and nutrients that support the organisms living in an ecosystem. Human well-being depends on the services provided by ecosystems and their components.

Examples of Ecosystems

River

Stream

Puddle

Rainforest

Forest

School

Using your homework from last night, explain how your biotic factors rely on each other and on the abiotic factors of your ecosystem to survive.

Read the front and back page on the board titled “The Biosphere.”Write the following sentences in your notes section and fi ll in the blanks with these words: population, biome, niche.

A __________ is specific to a creature. It usually explains how something behaves, lives, and protects itself.

A habitat is smaller than an ecosystem and is classified by the ___________ or community.

We live in an area with a temperate deciduous forest. This area named for its vegetation and climate is called a __________.

Read the front and back page on the board titled

“The Biosphere.”

Think about the differences between a

biome, ecosystem, habitat and niche.

Primary Producer

Any living plant-like organism that produces energy.

Produces it’s own energy through photosynthesis.

Examples: Tree, Flowers, Blueberries, Watermelon, Algae

Consumer

Any organism that eats another organism to gain energy.

Primary Consumer

An organism that directly eats primary producers. (Plants)-Plant-eating animals

Examples: Caribou, Elk, Deer, Flying Squirrels, Insects, Zebras

Secondary ConsumerEats primary consumers (Eats the plant-eater).

Examples: Owls, Weasels, Raccoons, Skunks

Tertiary Consumer

Can eat secondary and primary consumers

Examples: Lions, Tigers, Bears, Humans,

CarnivoreA living organism that only eats meat.

HerbivoreA living organism that eats only plants.

OmnivoreA living organism that eats both plants and animals.

Share 10 biotic factors with your group and their classifications. Be sure to circle any answers that you are unsure of.

Food Web

Interconnected food chains that show the diversity of animals eating habits.

Food ChainLinks that show the relationship between biotic factors in an ecosystem.

Decomposers

A biotic factor that breaks down dead organisms.

Sentinel SpeciesAn animal that is sensitive to change in the environment, which allow us to see problems and changes in the environment.

Adaptation

A change in an organism that allows it to change to its environment or be more successful.

Structural Adaptation

When an animal has something specific about their body that helps them to survive.

A change in the organism’s body that happens over time. (Evolution)

Functional Adaptation

Allows the organism to adjust its body systems or functions to different

environments.

Behavioral Adaptation

Helps an animal find food, protect itself or its young, or

build homes.

Structural Adaptations

Examples:

Polar Bear thick skin-keep warm

Giraffes have long necks-reach leaves

Deer and Elk flat teeth-grind food

Tiger and Lions sharp teeth-rip apart meat

Birds beaks to eat-different wings to fly/swim/soar

Camel has hump to store water and fat

Ducks have webbed feet-to swim

Functional Adaptations

Examples:

Mammals warm blooded-keep body temp

Cold-Blooded animals- hibernate, change body temp

Alligator/Turtle- lungs can fill to stay under water

Behavioral Adaptations

Examples:

Migration- food, warmth, housing

Hibernating-

Beaver-Builds home and dam around water