Connected Ecosystem

1
Connected Ecosystem
Michele Kissinger
Moorea Coral Reef Long Term Ecological Research
Program
2
What is an Ecosystem?

• An Ecosystem is all the living and non-living
  things
• in an area working together.

Algae use Carbon Dioxide
Fish breathe Oxygen
Algae use Sunlight (Algae is like a plant, it
does photosynthesis)
Fish compete against one another for food
3

• The Fish and Algae are the living components of
  the ecosystem that are interacting.
• The Sunlight, Oxygen, and Carbon Dioxide are the
  non-living components of the ecosystem that these
  animals and algae need to survive.

4

• Scientists call living things BIOTIC,
• and non-living things ABIOTIC.

5
Can you identify the biotic parts of this coral
reef ecosystem?
Plankton
Fish
Coral
Algae
6
Can you identify the abiotic parts of this coral
reef ecosystem?
Nutrients
Sunlight
CO2
Temperature
O2
Currents
Sediment
Space
7
Animals have to adapt to the biotic influences in
an ecosystem
These fish are hiding from their predators.
This fish is hiding in the coral
Can you see me?
This fish is camouflaged
8
and they must adapt to the abiotic influences in
an ecosystem.
These animals are protected against waves.
This seastar is holding on tight.
This fish is hiding in this hole.
9
Most animals are adapted to live in only certain
types of environments

• like ecosystems that are either cold or hot.

Polar bears would not do very well in the desert!
10
Animals and plants in an ecosystem have to share
the abiotic resources available.

• They must make trade-offs

• Use less rock space
• Grow toward sun
• Less wave protection

This coral grows tall before it spreads out

• Maximize space
• Wave protection
• Less sunlight

This coral grows low and strong

11
or they must adapt to use different resources.
These animals all eat different foods.
Some animals filter plankton from the water
Some fish eat other fish
Some fish eat algae off the rocks
12
We have been talking about coral reef ecosystems,
but there are a lot of interesting animals in the
water off our California coast
13
Most of the biotic components in the kelp
forest ecosystem are the same as in the coral
reef

• Plankton
• Fish
• Algae

Biotic
Competitors
Prey
(the water off CA is too cold for big,
reef-building corals, but there are some small,
soft corals)
Predators
Herbivores
Decomposers
Carnivores
Omnivores
14
but some abiotic components of kelp
forest ecosystems are different.
Can you guess what some of them are?
there can be more nutrients in the water

• Sediment
• Nutrients
• Currents/Waves
• CO2
• O2
• Sunlight
• Temperature
• Space

there can be more organisms living near waves
Abiotic
there can be less sunlight deep in a kelp
forest
the water is colder
15
And just like in coral reef ecosystems,
animals and plants in kelp forests
must adapt to the conditions
in this ecosystem they call home.

• Colder water
• Darker water
• Different food
• More waves (if living in the tidepools)

16
These mussels live in tide pools.
Can you guess how they are adapted?
Mussels have strong byssal threads that hold on
to the rock like cement when waves hit.
Shells close tightly to keep in water
that is the right temperature and salinity.
17
Kelp has these air bladders. Can you guess what
they might be used for?
SUNLIGHT!
Kelp uses air sacs to lift
their leaves toward the surface because
they need sunlight for photosynthesis
18
Is sunlight biotic or abiotic?

• Abiotic!

What about kelp?
Biotic!
Is kelp (algae) a producer or a consumer?
A Producer
19
Can you think of some abiotic problems organisms
might face in these tide pools?
SUNLIGHT!
Air and no sun protection can dry them out
WAVES!
Strong waves can wash them out to sea
TEMPERATURE!
SALINITY!
Small pools can warm up in the sun
Pools can get more salty as water evaporates
20

• Remember, humans are connected to
  these ecosystems too (through food
  webs!).
• Our actions can affect the resources that
  our ecosystem produces for us (like food, clean
  water, and clean air).

21
The End
22
This lesson covers California State Science
Content Standards

• 4th Grade Life Science
• 2b
• producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores,
  omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food
  chains and food webs and may compete with each
  other for resources in an ecosystem
• 3a
• Ecosystems can be characterized by their living
  and non-living components.
• 3b
• In any particular environment, some kinds of
  plants and animals survive well, some survive
  less well, and some cannot survive at all.

23
Credits

• This Lesson Was Developed By
• Michele Kissinger
• Education and Outreach Coordinator
• Moorea Coral Reef LTER
• Funding By