Lesson 4 Interaction Organism and Environment

Define “Ecosystem and Ecology”

An ecosystem is a community of living things interacting with each other and with their physical environment.
Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other and with their environment.

List three abiotic and three biotic factors of your environment.

Three Abiotic and Three Biotic Factors
Abiotic: sunlight, water, temperature.
Biotic: plants, animals, bacteria.

Describe the niche of a beaver.

A beaver’s niche includes cutting trees, building dams, creating ponds, and shaping the ecosystem. Its activities control water flow, create habitats for other species, and influence plant growth.

What are the 5 interactions of organisms? (Interspecific interaction)

Five Interspecific Interactions

1. Predation

2. Competition

3. Mutualism

4. Commensalism

5. Parasitism

What is natural selection?

Natural selection is the process where organisms with traits that help them survive and reproduce are more likely to pass those traits to the next generation.

What is speciation and why does it occur?

Speciation is the formation of new species. It occurs when populations become isolated or adapt to different environments until they can no longer interbreed.

What roles do producers, consumers, and decomposers fulfill in an ecosystem?

Producers (plants) make energy through photosynthesis.
Consumers (animals) eat plants or other animals for energy.
Decomposers (fungi, bacteria) break down dead matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

List five predators and their prey organisms.

Five Predators and Their Prey

1. Lion → zebra

2. Owl → mouse

3. Snake → frog

4. Wolf → deer

5. Eagle → fish

Describe a food chain and a food web.

A food chain shows a single pathway of energy flow from one organism to another (like plant → insect → bird → snake).
A food web is a network of many food chains connected together, showing how energy moves through an entire ecosystem.