Ecosystems

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Ecosystems

• 4th grade Science

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Ecosystems

• Ecosystems include both living and nonliving
  things.
• Nonliving things include water, rocks, air,
  light, and soil. These are abiotic factors.
• Living things include plants and animals. These
  are biotic factors.
• The study of the interaction between the living
  and non-living parts is ecology.

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Nonliving (abiotic) examples
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Living (Biotic) Examples
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Communities

• The living part of an ecosystem is called a
  community. These are the biotic factors.
• Each community is made of various populations of
  plants
• and animals.

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Community of living things
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Populations

• Populations are made of only one type of
  organism.
• There are numerous populations in each community.
• Examples grass, snails, pill bugs, cardinals,
  hawk, pine trees, oak trees.

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Habitat

• Each organisms home is called its habitat.
• A habitat is where a living organism finds the
  things it needs to survive.
• Habitats can include living (biotic) and
  non-living (abiotic) things.

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Ecosystems are different

• There are many factors that make ecosystems
  different.
• Water is one major factor.
• Deserts have less than 10rain a year
• Rain forests have over 300 rain a year
• Soil conditions effect ecosystems
• - Rich soil vs. poor soil

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Organisms change ecosystems

• When plants and animals move, eat, and grow, they
  keep the ecosystem in balance.
• Some changes can harm the environment.
• Too many animals use up all food
• Humans taking over natural
• habitats

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Positive changes in ecosystems

• Plants and animals can also bring beneficial
  changes to ecosystems
• Plants keep soil from eroding, or washing away
• Birds eat insects
• Humans protect animals by setting up wildlife
  preserves.

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Types of Ecosystems

• Climate differences produce a variety of
  ecosystems.
• Mild forests
• Deserts
• Freshwater rivers
• Saltwater oceans
• Tropical rain forests

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Summary

• There are many different types of ecosystems
• Every ecosystem has living (biotic) and
  non-living (abiotic) parts
• Ecosystems can change in both positive and
  negative ways