EcosystemsWhat is an ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a place where animals, plants, and non-living materials exist

together.A Joe Fasen Enhanced Power Point Presentation

EcosystemsIf you could choose an

ecosystem in which to live which one would you

choose? Why?Let’s take a look at some ecosystems to help you

decide….

Mountain

Tundra

Temperate Forest

Marine/Island

Desert

Tropical Dry Forest

Cold Climate Forest

Grassland

Savannah

Tropical Rainforest

EcosystemsWhat interactions take place in an ecosystem?

What goes on in an ecosystem?

Predation• When one organism hunts and eats

another.• The fox is the predator and the

rabbit is the prey.

Scavengers

• Animals that feed on decaying or dead plants or animals.

Producers• Green plants that use energy from

the sun to produce food through process of photosynthesis.

Consumers

• Organisms that do not make their own food but eat other organisms.

Carnivores

• Animals that eat only MEAT.

Herbivores

• Animals that only eat PLANTS.

Omnivores• Eat both plants and meat

Decomposers

• Consume wastes and dead organisms.– Examples: fungi, bacteria, earthworms

Symbiosis• Specific interaction between two

species over a long period of time “living together”

Both speciesbenefit

One species benefits,the other is neither helped nor harmed.

One species benefits,the other is harmed

Succession

• The gradual change of one community to another over time.

• Succession happens in all communities.

• Sometimes forests go through long periods of time without rain. A fire could start during one of these dry spells. What would happen then? (succession)

• In the forest fire, many trees and animals will die. –Many animals will move away from the

forest to a new location.

• After the forest fire, the community will begin to rebuild:– Plants begin to grow– Animals come back to feed on the new

plants.

• Eventually, new trees will grow.– Small trees will grow at first, but after

many years, larger trees such as spruce and fir may grow.

• So, here is our example of succession:

Forest fireoccurs

Trees & animals dieor relocate

Plants begin to grow;animals return to feedon new plant growth

Small treesbegin to grow

Large trees grow;

completing the forest