UNIT 5. ECOSYSTEMS

UNIT OBJECTIVES To learn about ecosystems and how it works To study how abiotic factors influence the

biocenosis To understand the relationships in the

biocenosis To learn about trophic levels, chains and

webs To learn about aquatic and terrestrial

ecosystems

COMPONENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM

ECOSYSTEMIt’s a place, the living things that

inhabit it and the interactions between them.

BIOTOPE

BIOCENOSIS

Nonliving components.Abiotic factors (Physical factors).

Ex: Temperature.

All the living things. Biotic factors.

Population: Members of the same species.

BIOTOPE

BIOCENOSIS

ACTIVITIES1. What’s the difference between

biocenosis and biotope?2. Write down three examples of

biocenosis and three examples of biotope.

3. Complete: An ecosystem is made up of all living things called_________, the places where they live called__________ and the ____________ between them.

4. Are they true or false?a)All the organism of an ecosystem make up the

population.b)The population is made up of all the organism

of the same species that inhabit a certain area.c)The biocenosis consists of all living things in the

planet.d)The biotope consists of the nonliving

components of the ecosystem.5. Classify the following words in the

corroct column: water, temperature, oak tree, oxygen, fox, sparrow, caterpillar, ground, rocks.

BIOTIC FACTORS:ABIOTIC FACTORS:

HOW ABIOTIC FACTORS AFFECTS THE BIOCENOSIS

ADAPTATION It’s an adjustement in the organism’s body or behaviour to its environment.

Animals and plants are

influenced by

Light

Temperature

The presence of water

Light Temperature The presence of water

ACTIVITIES6. True or false? Correct them.a) The depths of the oceans contain

photosynthesizing organism because a lot of sunlight can be found there.

b) Many animals have to emigrate or hibernate when the heat comes.

c) Desert plants develop very big leaves which protect them from losing water.

7. The following organisms have adaptations. Which was the abiotic factor that produced them?

a) Plants that accumulate water in their stems:________

b) A bear hibernating:_____________c) A tree which loses its leaves in

autumn:____________d) The exoskeleton of insects:_____________e) Bird migration:______________

RELATIONS IN THE BIOCENOSIS

INTRASPECIFIC RELATIONSHIPS

INTERSPECIFICRELATIONSHIPS

Between members of the same

species.

Between members of different

species.

Competitive

Cooperative

-Gregarious associations-Family associations-Colonial societies-Colonial forms

Competition

Commensalism

PredationMutualismparasitism

Competitive

Family

Gregarious

Colonial forms

Colonial societies

- -

Predation + -(Predator and

prey)

Parasitism + -

Commensalism + 0

Mutualism + +(Symbiosis)

ACTIVITIES8. Fill in the blanks:a) _____________ relationships are between individuals of the

________ species, and interspecific relationships are between individuals of___________ species.

b) ___________ relationships are divided into __________, where the individuals of the __________ same species compete for the same resources and __________ where they group together to obtein mutual benefit.

9. Classify the following relationships between intraspecific or interspecific.

a) Family relationships.b) Mutualismc) Parasitismd) Gregariouse) Colonialf) Predation

10. Complete the table.Beneficial (+)

Harmful (-)

Indifferent (0)

Type of relationship

In a lichen, the algae provides nourishment and the fungus humidity.A lynx hunts a rabbit to eat it.A vulture eats the remains of a lion’s prey.The taenia lives and feeds in the human intestine.Remoras attach to sharks for transport.

11. Thousands of bacteria live in the human intestine. They constitute the gut flora. Look for the information and explain what type of relationship there is between people and gut flora.

12. Some types of limpets live on the jaws and the outer surface of whales. The limpets obtain food and a safe place to live, but whales do not benefit nor are harmed. What is this type of relationship called?

TROPHIC LEVELS

PRODUCERS CONSUMERS DECOMPOSERS

Autotrophic

organisms.Ex:Plants

Heterotrophic organisms.(Primary,

secondary, tertiary)

Ex:Animals

Heterotrophic organisms.They feed on the remains

of other trophic levels.

Ex: Fungi

FOOD CHAIN

It shows the trophic levels and the order of eating.

FOOD WEBIt represents the trophic

chains in an ecosystem and their relationships.

13. Matcha) Producers 1-They feed on others

levels.b) Consumers 2- They feed on the

remains.c) Decomposers 3- They’re autotrophic.14. What trophic level do the following

organisms belong to?Grasshopper:Rabbit:Poppy:Lynx:Fungus:

15. Analyze the trophic web in the picture and write it down two food chains.

16. In a science fiction movie we see a future where, after a terrible war, the vegetation of the planet has completely disappeared and human beings live by eating the animals that have survived the catastrophe. Could that situation be possible? Explain your answer.

BIOMEIt’s a biological community

which occupies large areas of the planet. It has some characteristic climatic

conditions.

COLD ZONES

TEMPERATE ZONES

WARM ZONES

The polar

desertThe

tundraThe

taiga

The deciduous forest

The Mediterranean

forestThe

steppe

The desert

The savanna

h

The tropical forest

Types

17. Write two examples of each type of biome.18. Find Spain on a map and answer the

following questions.a) What biomes can be found in Spain?b) What biome is characteristic of the area where

you live?19. In pairs, look information in the Internet

about a biome (teacher will tell you which one), and make a poster to present it to your partners in class. You have to include:

- Where the bioma is located- Type of vegetation- Type of animals- Temperature- Precipitation

Don’t forget to include pictures or

drawings