Ecosystem Relationships 09/05/12

*I will walk around to collect late 10 steps and lab safety/course info sheets*

1. Biotic components2. Ecosystem relationships

HW: Horseshoe Crabs and Shorebirds reading questions

DO NOW [journal]

1. Describe a coral reef community.

2. What are four abiotic components of a river?

Energy Flow

• Energy flows through living systems.

• Energy flow through living systems can be represented in food chains, food webs, and energy pyramids.

ARROWS POINT TOWARDS WHO IS GAINING THE ENERGY.

Food Web

Can see there are many different ways of obtaining food.

The top consumers don’t always eat all the organisms below.

Is this just one organism? Or the whole population?

Kelp Forest

Found along the California coast

Important for protecting young fish

Highly productive

Energy Pyramid

Marine food web

Notes sheet

Biomass – the total amount of animals or plants.

Producers – gain energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Almost all sun energy is used within in the plant.

Consumers – gain energy from eating other organisms. The higher up the food chain, the less total energy is gained. Most energy is lost as heat.

4 kinds of consumersHerbivores Carnivores

Omnivores

Decomposers

Think – Pair – Share

1. What limits how long a food chain is?

2. Could a food chain be infinitely long?

3. Are there more producers (plants) or consumers (animals) in the world?

A marine environment provides a habitat for a variety of plants and animals. A small part of a marine food web is shown below.

Which of these describes the role of the sanderling in the marine food web?

• producer• herbivore• carnivore• omnivore

Symbiotic Relationships

Symbiosis: any close relationship between species.

Three types of symbiotic relationships:Mutualism

Commensalism Parasitism

Mutualism

Definition: a symbiotic relationship in which both species benefit.

Examples: lichens (made up of algae

and fungus): algae supplies energy to both organisms, fungus provides a protected space for algae to live

Commensalism

Definition: a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits and the other organism is not affected.

Examples: Clown fish (Nemo) and anemone: tentacles do not sting clown

fish, fish is protected from predators. Anemone is not affected.

Parasitism Definition: a symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits but

the other organism is harmed. Examples: Roundworms and dogs/cats: worm attaches to intestine and feeds on

nutrients, animal can have pain, bloating diarrhea and possible death.

Parasitic wasp lays eggs in caterpillar. Eggs hatch and then eat their way out.

How does a habitat differ from a niche?

A niche is:1. how an organism survives2. obtains its food and shelter3. finds a mate4. cares for its young5. avoids danger.

• These things are all requirements of the species for its survival