ECOSYSTEMS Original presentation created by Renee Mabry, a teacher with the Graves County School District (Kentucky). Modified by Lisa Brown, a teacher at Campbell School, for Mona Shores Public Schools students.

A system is a group of parts that work together as a unit. zOPEN SYSTEMS zMost systems are open systems. They take in things from outside the system. For example, a terrarium takes in energy from the sun. zWhy do plants need the sun’s energy? z CLOSED SYSTEMS z Very few systems are truly closed. Most systems receive inputs and give off outputs. z A diver in a submarine is in an almost completely closed system.

Explain if these systems are open or closed. zAn aquarium za forest za sports team zyour family zan astronaunt on the Space Shuttle zan automobile

Stability zStability in systems means that over time the changes in a system cancel each other out. For example if something is added, it is later taken out. zThe system must remain in balance. zHow does the grass in your yard remain stable?

Ecosystems z Groups of living things and the environment they live in make up an ecosystem. z Some ecosystems include forests, ponds, and streams. z Explain how some organisms can live in different ecosystems.

TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMS zPOPULATIONS zA group of the same species living in the same place at the same time is a population. zPopulations live in environments to which they are adapted. z COMMUNITIES z A community of an ecosystem is made up of all the populations that live in the same area. z The plants and animals that live together depend on each other to survive.

ACTIVITY zOrganize charts that compare how your needs are met in your community to how plants’ and animals’ needs are met in their community.

ANALYZE THIS! zSometimes plants and animals are introduced into ecosystems that are not native to the ecosystem. zCan you name a plant or animal that lives in an ecosystem that you are familiar with and is not native to that ecosystem? zPredict what might happen if an animal from the jungle were introduced into a forest ecosystem.

NONLIVING PARTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM zSUNLIGHT zAIR zTEMPERATURE zSOIL zWATER

LIVING THINGS IN ECOSYSTEMS zHABITATS zThe environment that meets the needs of an organism is called a habitat. zRead the book “A House is a House for Me” and discuss the different habitats listed.

Food Chains

A Food Chain Plant Insects Fish Frog Bear People

SUMMARY zAn environment that meets the needs of an organism is called a habitat. zAs organisms carry out their roles, they can affect both living and nonliving parts of that ecosystem.

Groups of living things and the environment they live in make up what? So what do you know…

True or False: Most ecosystems are open systems. So what do you know…

Is it possible for an ecosystem to include forests, ponds and streams? So what do you know…

A group of the same species living in the same place at the same time is called what? So what do you know…

All the populations that live in the same area make up what?. So what do you know…

What are the five non-living parts of an ecosystem? So what do you know…

The environment that meets the needs of an organism is called what? So what do you know…