AIM: What are the roles of producers consumers and decomposers in an ecosystem?

Do Now:

1. Explain the difference between a producer, consumer, scavenger and decomposer

1. Explain the difference between biotic and abiotic factors.

2. List three biotic factors that are surrounding you.

3. List three abiotic factors that are surrounding you.

4. What is a habitat and what does it provide?

5. Ecologically speaking, which is bigger, a population or a community? Explain.

6. Name three biomes.

Organism Categories:

Organisms

Producers(Autotrophs)

Consumers(Heterotrophs)

Decomposers

Producers

• Organisms that make their own food• Photosynthesis

• Ex: plants

CO2 + H2O + sunlight O2 + C6H12O6

Consumers• Organisms that cannot make their own

food• Obtain energy by eating other organisms• Four types

1. Herbivores

2. Carnivores

3. Omnivores

4. scavengers

Herbivores

• Eat only plants

• Primary consumers

• Ex: insects, birds, cows, buffalo,

Carnivores

• Eat herbivores and other carnivores

• Secodary-tertiary consumers

• Lions, snakes, hawks, spiders

Omnivores

• Eat both producers and consumers

• Primary, secondary and tertiary consumers

• Humans, bears

Scavengers

• Feed on dead organisms

– do not hunt their prey

• Vultures, hyenas, insects

Decomposers

• Bacteria and fungi that consume the bodies of dead organisms and other organic wastes

• Recycle nutrients from dead organisms back to the environment

Trophic Levels

• Troph = “to feed”

• Feeding level

– Producers = largest trophic level

• Autotroph and Heterotroph

– Autotroph:

• Producers (make their own food)

– Heterotroph:

• Consumers (eat other organsims)

Heterotroph

Heterotroph

Heterotroph

Heterotroph

Autotroph

Producers- largest trophic level

Primary consumers

Secondary consumers

Tertiary consumers

1. What is the main difference between a producer and a consumer?

2. How do consumers get their energy?3. What is the difference between a

carnivore and a scavenger?4. Explain the importance of

decomposers to the ecosystem.5. What is a trophic level?6. Which trophic level is usually largest?7. Define the terms autotroph and

heterotroph.

4.1

1. List the different groups of organisms inan ecosystem, and explain how each gathers food

2. How do autotrophs and heterotrophs differ?

3. In most ecosystems, the first trophic level contains more organisms than the second trophic level. Can you suggest a reason for this pattern?