Unit 3: Ecosystems Chapter 6 – Part 1 Pg. 92-95

3.1.1 Define Ecosystem Ecosystem = the network of relationships (interactions) among plants, animals (living) and the non-living parts in an environment.

3.2.1 Producers Other examples: Grasses Trees shrubs Water lilies Flowers Vegetables Fruits Producer = a plant which can synthesize carbohydrates using carbon dioxide and the sun’s energy. “Produce” their own food AND food for the rest of the ecosystem

3.2.1 Consumers Consumers = All those organisms that have to eat (consume) plants or animals to obtain their food.

Types of consumers Primary Consumers: Animals that eat producers. Also called 1st. order consumers or herbivores. (Ex. Rabbit, squirrels, grouse, insects) Secondary Consumers: Animals that eat primary consumers. Also called 2nd. order consumers or carnivores. (fox, owl, mink ) Tertiary Consumers: Animals that eat secondary consumers. Also called 3rd. order consumers or carnivores. (Wolf, coyote, hawk) Omnivores: Animals that eat both producers (plants) and consumers (animals).

3.2.1 Decomposers Examples: Worms Bacteria Fungi Protozoa Decomposers = Simple organisms that obtain their food from dead/decaying organisms and wastes.

Identify; Producers Herbivores Carnivores Omnivores What’s missing? Decomposers!

3.2.3 Food chain Food chain = linear sequence representing the flow of nutrition from the simplest plant to the top carnivore. Ie. What eats what??

3.2.4 Food web Food web = a series of interconnecting food chains in an ecosystem. Shows all possible flows of nutrition. Much more complicated!!

Food Chain vs Food Web

Identify examples of producers & consumers See “Handout” Primary Consumers / herbivores Secondary Consumers / Carnivores Tertiary Consumers / Carnivores Decomposers Shrubs, grass, trees Grasshopper, rabbit, deer Mountain lion, snake, shrew, insect-eating bird, hawk Hawk, snake, mountain lion Bacteria, fungi

Give an example of a food chain from figure to the right. Tree → insect insect eating bird hawk Producer Primary consumer 2nd order consumer 3rd order consumer Note: The arrows indicate the flow of energy & nutrients from one level to the next

Sample Food Chain

Draw an example of a food web containing humans. Mosquito Hawk Cow Grass Man Worms Phytoplankton Fish

Draw an example of a food web containing humans. Hawk Mosquito Cow fish Man Phytoplankton Grass Worms

Using a diagram, describe the relationship between latitude and the sequence of ecosystems. Using a diagram, describe the relationship between elevation and the sequence of ecosystems. (a)