Interactions in Ecosystems We will discover what an

Interactions in Ecosystems

We will discover • • • what an ecosystem is what land biomes are what water ecosystems look like how organisms interact in an ecosystem how energy moves in an ecosystem how materials move through an ecosystem Chapter 5, page 121

What is an ecosystem? Organisms live where they can have their needs met. These needs are met by the living and nonliving things around them.

Living and Nonliving Parts • Ecosystem- all the living and nonliving things in an area. • Community- made up of all the populations in an area • Population- a group of organisms of one species that live in an area at the same time.

Biomes • The world is divided into biomes. • A biome is a large ecosystem with generally the same climate and organisms. • All the biomes together make up the biosphere.

Niches and Habitats • Niche- the role that an organism has in an ecosystem • Habitat- the place where the organism lives. • Habitats include – soil – air – water – plants

A Woodpecker’s Niche • Some animals, like the pileated woodpecker, are insect eaters. They control insect populations in a community. The pileated woodpecker eats carpenter ants. It chisels them out of trees with its beak. Without animals like the woodpecker, insect populations could grow out of control.

Balance • All the relationships among organisms keep the ecosystem balanced.

Balance: Spotted Owls and Mice The population of these two animals goes up and down depending on how many there are of the other animal.

Land Biomes Organisms have structure that help them live in different land biomes.

Land Biomes • Types of land biomes – Rainforest • Temperate • Tropical – Deciduous Forest – Grassland – Taiga – Desert – Tundra

Temperate Rainforest • Temperate rainforests get lots of rain. • They have a cool temperature • Animals such as elk , cougars, bear live here. • Trees such as maple and spruce live here too. • Plants and animals that live here like – wet conditions – cool climate

Tropical Rainforest • Tropical rainforests gets lots of rain. • They have warm temperatures. • Tropical rainforests have more plant and animal species than all other biomes. • They are found on all continents except Europe.

Deciduous Forest • These forests are the main biomes found in the eastern US. • In this type of biome, trees lose their leaves in the fall and winter. • WE LIVE IN THIS TYPE OF BIOME!!!

Grassland • Grasslands have many types of grasses but few trees. • Most of Midwest America is this type of biome. • Grasslands only receive a small amount of rain. (hence- few trees) • The grassland is home to animals such as bison, prairie dogs, and antelope.

Taiga • Taiga biomes are very cold and dry. • They have mostly trees with needles, such as pines. • Taiga animals include elk, moose, bears, and wolves. • Animals that live here have fur that keeps them warm in the cold winters.

Desert • Most are very hot during the day and cold at night. • Deserts receive less than 25 centimeters of rain each year. • Desert organisms have adaptations that help them survive in the dry conditions of the desert. • Some desert plants have large root systems close to the surface of the ground.

Tundra • The tundra biome is a very cold biome with little rain. • There is a very short time of warmer weather when plants can grow. Because of this, the tundra only has small plants and grasses. • Tundra are located in the most northern parts of the world like Canada and Russia.

Water Ecosystems Water ecosystems differ in the kind of water they have, how fast it moves, and how deep it is.

Rivers • A river can flow fast or slow. • The river’s flow determines what kinds of animals live there. • Plants and animals that live in rivers do not normally live in oceans because of the salty water found there. • River ecosystems include animals, like otters, that spend much of their time on land.

Tennessee River American River Otter

Wetlands • A wetland is partly covered with water or is flooded at least part of each year. • Wetlands act as filters and clean water that flows through it. • The Florida Everglades are a wetland. • Some wetlands are parts of estuaries, or slightly salty places where rivers flow into ocean.

Florida Everglades

Coral Reefs • Coral reefs are in warm, shallow waters. • Because of all the animals that live there, they are like busy cities in the ocean. • Coral reefs are formed out of coral. – Coral are animals that have a special relationship with algae. – The algae help the coral grow and build its hard skeleton. – As the coral die, their hard skeletal parts pile up to make the reef.

The Deep Sea • The deep sea has cold temperatures, is dark, has VERY high water pressure, and is home to some very strange creatures. • Deep sea animals have adapted to live with the high pressure. • Because no sunlight reaches the deep sea, no plants grow there. The animals must eat dead plants and animals that sink down from higher levels.

Deep Sea Isopod (above) Strange deep sea creatures (right) There are many undiscovered species in the deep sea.

How do Organisms Interact? Plants and animals interact with each other. Sometimes their interactions are helpful. Sometimes, they are not.

Competition (-/-) • In all environments, organisms complete for the things they need like light, space, water, food, or mates. • An organism that does not compete may die or may be forced to move to get its needs met.

Competing for Resources • Desert animals may compete for plants to eat, since plants are scarce.

Competing for Territory • Animals such as cats, hippos, dogs, and bears may fight for territory.

Competing for Water • Plants can compete for water. • Plants with large root systems will absorb water more quickly than other plants.

Symbiosis • Symbiosis is the long term relationship between different species. • One of the species is always helped. (+) • The other may be helped, harmed, or not affected at all. (+, -, 0)

Types of Symbiosis • mutualism- both benefit (+/+)

Types of Symbiosis • commensalism- one is helped and the other isn’t effected (+/0)

Types of Symbiosis • parasitism- one is helped and the other is hurt (+/-)

water buffalo and cattle egret dog and flea • Good for the egret • Doesn’t bother the buffalo • Good for the flea • Bad for the dog cleaner shrimp and zebra moray eel • Good for the shrimp • Good for the eel

3 -2 -1 Bee Article: • 3 things I learned are… • 2 questions I still have are… • 1 connection that I had was…

How does energy move in ecosystems? Energy can pass through an ecosystem when food is eaten, but some energy is always changed to heat and not passed on.

Parts of Food Chains and Webs • Producers- produce, or make, their own food- plants • Consumers- consume, or eat, producers because they cannot make their own food • Decomposers- decomposer, or break down, organisms

Food Chain

Food Web

Energy Pyramid • Energy Pyramids show the amounts of energy that flow through each level of a food chain.