Chapter 3: Ecosystems Name: #:
Chapter 3 Vocabulary ecosystem population community niche herbivores carnivores omnivores decomposers Vocabulary Word Vocabulary Word P a g e 2
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What a System Is Lesson 1: What are the parts of ecosystems? A system is made of many parts that work together for a. A system can have and parts. Most systems need, or things coming into the system from outside the system. 1) How is a bicycle an example of a simple system? 2) Give an example of a system from your everyday life. Write about the parts that work together. Ecosystems An ecosystem is one kind of. interact with each other and with the nonliving parts of the system. 1) Explain how a desert and a rotting cactus can both be ecosystems. 2) What are some nonliving parts of an ecosystem? P a g e 5
Kinds of Ecosystems can survive only in environments in which their needs are met. The kinds of plants and animals that live in an area depend on the and the. 1) Why do plants and animals do well in a desert ecosystem? Kinds of Ecosystems Desert Grassland Tundra Forest Tropical Rain Forest P a g e 6
Organisms and Their Environment The size of each population may change depending on the amount of,, and that is available. The different populations that interact with each other in the same area form a. The area or place where an organism lives in an ecosystem is called a. You can think of a habitat as an organism s. A habitat contains all of the living and nonliving things than an needs. Special Roles If an organism s habitat is its address, its is its job. also help determine an organism s niche. 1) How is the niche of a roadrunner and hummingbird different? 2) Using the picture on page 83, explain the levels of a system. P a g e 7
Lesson 2: How does energy flow in ecosystems? Energy in Plants and Animals is the main energy source for life on Earth. In the process of, green plants change sunlight energy into chemical energy. Since plants make, or produce, their own food, they are called. Organisms that eat, or consume, other living things are called. Types of Consumers Examples Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores 1) Explain how the adaptations of different teeth help both herbivores and carnivores. P a g e 8
A Food Chain The energy stored by producers can be transferred along a. A food chain always begins with energy from. are the next link in the food chain. get the energy they need by hunting and killing prey. Small Things That Make a Big Difference Some,, and are decomposers. break down dead plant and animal tissues into minerals and nutrients that are put back into the soil, air, and water. Whatever affects the decomposers of an ecosystem affects the health of the and all the that eat them are affected too. 1) Explain how the food energy stored by the grass is transferred to the hawk in the diagram. grass grasshopper mouse snake hawk P a g e 9
A Food Web An ecosystem has many. A system of overlapping good chains is called a. In a food web, the flow of energy branches out in many. 1) Using the illustration on page 89, explain the connection of at least three organisms of the food web. 2) Do you think a roadrunner competes with other animals for a food source? 3) Draw a diagram of a food web that includes humans and at least four other organisms. P a g e 10
Lesson 3: How does matter flow in ecosystems? Water Ecosystems Almost of Earth s surface is covered with water. Organisms that live in the habitats of oceans are different from organisms that live in habitats. The Swamp is a wetland that is home to many organisms. Since single-celled algae carry out photosynthesis, they are. How Matter Flows Through a Food Web Many of the and of a swamp ecosystem are part of more than one food chain. In this food web, the algae uses energy from and matter from the to live. 1) Using the Food Web on page 92, explain how the blue-spotted sunfish is part of three different food chains. Decay in Ecosystems All living things eventually die and rot, or. Without decay, dead organisms and wastes would pile up and interfere with the of living things. During the process of decay, feed on the remains of the dead organisms., such as fungi and bacteria, break down the dead organisms. P a g e 11
Rate of Decay Many factors affect how or dead organisms decay. The amount of can affect decay. We cover food in the refrigerator because many decomposers grow more quickly when there is plenty of. Things that were once alive change more than things that were never alive. 1) How do warmer or cooler temperatures affect the rate of decay? 2) How does moisture affect the rate of decay? 3) Explain how carbon dioxide and oxygen are used in photosynthesis. Math in Science Graphing Population (Page 98-99) 1. 2. 3. 4. P a g e 12