Environmental Science Introduction

1. Understanding Ecology and Ecosystems

2. Learning Objectives Define ecosystems. Compare Biotic and Abiotic Factors Describe food relationships found in nature.

3. Ecology Study of how organisms exist in their environment. Explains how nature is organized and the roles that each organism plays within its environment

4. Ecosystem Community of living and non-living things within an environment. May be large or small and include air, water, and land Two factors found within an ecosystem: Biotic Abiotic Always changing

5. Biotic Factors Living things found in an ecosystem. Includes plants & animals . Also is materials that were once living Need abiotic factors to live.

6. Abiotic Factors Non-living things found in an ecosystem. Include (but not limited to) water, temperature, type of rock or soil, light, pollutant levels.

7. Is it biotic or abiotic? Quia “Quiz” http://www.quia.com/quiz/244317.html

8. What is an ecosystem? Write down all of the differences you observe in this picture. Are there a number of ecosystems and different organisms thriving in this ecosystem? What biotic and abiotic components do you see?

9. Food Relationships in Nature All living organisms need some type of nourishment to live. usually comes from food.

10. Food Chain Order in which organisms obtain their food Each species has its own food chain.

11. The Main “Players” Producers Use energy from the sun to make food Living thing that makes its own food Start of all food chains Largest part of food webs Consumers Eat other living things for food to survive Decomposers Breaks down and feeds on the remains of once living things Usu. Bacteria and fungi Where do humans fit?

12. http://neuromanagement.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/food-chain.jpg

13. Food Web Formed by intertwined food chains Interconnection of food chains within a community. Animals are grouped according to the types of food they consume. These groups include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

14. Herbivore An animal that eats only plants for food. Aka – Primary Consumer

15. Omnivores Animals that eat both plants and animals. Consumer

16. Carnivore An animal that eats only animals for food. Consumer

17. Other “Player” Names Predator Animal that hunts another for food Note: Top predators are at the very top of a food chain Prey The hunted Parasite Feeds off energy of other living things

18. Food Chains and Food Web Review Quia “Quiz” Food Chain Vocabulary “Rags to Riches” Food Chain Concepts “Rags to Riches”