Transcript Living Things and the Environment

Living Things and the
Environment
Ecosystems
Ecology
• What is it?
• Definition: The study of how living things
interact with each other and their
environment.
• Ecologist study how organisms react to
changes in their environment
Ecosystems
• Definition: The community of organisms that live in a
particular area, along with their nonliving surroundings.
• Living components are called Biotic factors
• Nonliving components are called Abiotic factors.
Biotic Factors
• Definition: The living
parts of a habitat
• Habitat: an
environment that
provides the things
the organism needs
to live, grow and
reproduce.
• Examples: deserts,
grasslands, tropical
rain forest, oceans.
Biotic Factor Terms
• Organism: a single living thing
• Species: a group of organisms that are
physically similar & can mate with each
other and produce offspring that can do
the same.
• Population: All members of one species
in a particular area.
• Community: All the different populations
that live together in an area.
Example:
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog Species
a single living thing
All members of one species in a
particular area
All the different populations that live together in an area.
Abiotic Factors
• Definition: Nonliving
parts of an organism’s
habitat.
• Include:
– Water
– Sunlight
– Oxygen
– Temperature
– Soil
•
Assignment:
– On the back of the organizer,
outline each abiotic factor as to
it’s importance to an ecosystem.
(have 3)
– (Hint see p. 8)
– Example: Water
• required for all living
things to carry out their
life processes
• large part of living
things bodies are made
up of water (65%)
• Ingredient of
photosynthesis in
plants.