Unit 4 Topic 1

An ecosystem is made up of all the living organisms and physical conditions in an area

the organisms in the ecosystem are the community

the area in which they organisms live is the habitat

the population is the total number of each species in the habitat

producers are organisms that make their own food

examples of producers are green plants and algae

consumers are organisms that cannot make their own food. they eat other organisms to gain their energy.

all animals are consumers

decomposers are consumers that feed on dead or decaying material to gain energy

examples of decomposers are bacteria and fungi

light energy is converted into chemical energy in green plants during photosynthesis

glucose produced in photosynthesis is converted into carbs, fats, proteins which are used as energy stores and for growth and repair

as an organism grown it increases its biomass

biomass is the mass of living material present

consumers eat produces and the energy is transferred to the consumers.

the energy transferred can be used by the consumers for growth and increasing biomass

a food chain shows the feeding relationships between living things

the arrows point from the food to the feeder and show the direction of energy transfer

each step in the food chain is a trophic level

consumers are classified by their position in the food chain

green plants are eaten by a herbivore

herbivores are primary consumers

the herbivore is eaten by a carnivore

the carnivore is a secondary consumer - a predator

predators are animals which eat other animals

prey are the animals eaten by the predators

biotic factors affecting an ecosystem are living factors eg predators and availability of food

abiotic factors affecting an ecosystem are non living factors eg temp, light intensity, moisture level, pH of soil

temperature: has its greatest effect on the enzymes that control metabolic reactions. plants and cold blooded animals develop more rapidly in warmer temperatures

light intensity: light is required for photosynthesis. the greater the light availability, the greater the growth and success of a plant

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