Food Webs Within Ecosystems Marine, Freshwater, and Terrestrial FOOD WEBS

Ecosystems A community of organisms interacting with one another and their environment Includes all Biotic and Abiotic factors –Biotic Factors – All living things Plants and animals –Abiotic Factors – All nonliving things Water and land

Marine Ecosystems Ex. Oceans

Freshwater Ecosystems Ex. Lakes, ponds, rivers, streams

Terrestrial Ecosystems Ex. Forests, Deserts, Grasslands, Mountains

Habitat Place where an organism lives

Population Group of individuals of the same species that live in a certain area

Community All the populations that live and interact with each other in an area

Niche The role of an organism within it’s community (An organisms job; what it does for the community) Coral, plankton, fish

Food Chain Shows how the energy in food is passed from organism to organism in an ecosystem

Food Web Combination of all overlapping food chains in an ecosystem.

Producers Plants - Organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis

Consumers Animals - Organisms that eat other organisms to obtain food for energy

3 Types of Consumers Herbivores – Animals that only eat plants Omnivores – Animals that eat plants and other animals Carnivores – Animals that only eat other animals (meat)

Predator/Prey Relationships Predator – Organism that eats another organism Prey – Organism in which the predator eats

Parasite/Host Relationships Parasite – organism that feeds off other living creatures –Fleas, Ticks, Worms, Lice, etc. Host – organism that is being feed on by a parasite

Decomposers Organisms that get their energy by breaking down dead organisms