Science Ecosystems

Organism

a single individual animal, plant, or other living thing

Population

a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area

Community

all the populations that live and interact with each other in a particular place

Ecosystem

An ___ is the biotic and abiotic factors in a particular environment. _____s are smaller than biomes, but can be as small as a swamp or as large as a forest or desert

Biotic Factor

Living thing

Abiotic Factor

Non living thing

Biome

a region of Earth that has a particular climate and certain types of plants.

Biosphere

the part of the earth and atmosphere in which living things exist

Levels of Organization

Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biome, Biosphere

Matter

anything that has mass and takes up space. In an ecosystem, ____ can change forms, but it never leaves the ecosystem! The movement of ____ through the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem is a continuous cycle.

Water Cycle

How water moves through the Earth ○ Water evaporates from the Earth ○ Rises into the atmosphere ○ Cools/condenses into rain or snow in the clouds ○ Falls again as precipitation

Carbon Cycle

Process that moves carbon between plants, animals, and microorganisms; minerals in the Earth; and the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Cycle

Process that moves nitrogen through the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals and bacteria

Water, Carbon, Nitrogen

Three most important cycles that transport elements necessary for life through the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms.

Energy

Also CYCLES continuously through the environment. ● ____ is the ability to do work or cause a change. ____ is essential to all living things.

The sun

Where energy comes from, either directly or indirectly

Producer

(Autotroph) An organism that captures energy from sunlight and changes it into chemical energy.

Consumer

(Heterotroph) An organism that gets its energy by eating, or consuming, other organisms. There are different types based on what it consumes

Herbivore

A consumer that feeds on plants or algae

Omnivore

A consumer that feeds on both plants and animals

Carnivore

A consumer that feeds on other animals

Scavenger

A consumer that feeds on dead animals

Decomposer

An organism that breaks down dead plant and animal matter into simpler compounds. ● _____ return matter to soil or water where it may be used again and again.