1. Draw the following chart into your composition book:
LIVING:
NON-LIVING:

2. What’s Living? What’s Non-Living?

3. What is Ecology?
Ecology - the study of the interactions of organisms with one another and with their environment.
Ecologist – a scientist who studies ecology

4. Two Parts of an Ecosystem
Biotic factors
The living parts of an ecosystem
Ex.: plants, animals, fungi, bacteria
Bio = living; life
Abiotic factors
The nonliving parts of an ecosystem
Ex: water, sunlight, oxygen, temperature, soil
A = non; not; without

5. What are the biotic parts of this environment? The abiotic parts?

6. Levels of Organization in an Ecosystem
Foldable:
Levels of Organization in an Ecosystem
Organism
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Biosphere
* Leave space above each section label for an illustration.

7. Organism
Single living thing

8. Population
A group of individuals of the same species that live together.

9. Community
All the different populations of species that live together in an area

10. Find examples of each level of ecological organization:

11. Ecosystems
Made up of all the living andnonliving things (biotic and abiotic factors) that interact in a particular area
Examples: prairie, mountain stream, ocean, forest

12. Ecosystems & Habitats
An organism’s habitat provides it with the things it needs to survive:
Food, water, shelter
A single ecosystem may contain many habitats.
Organisms live in different habitats because they have different requirements for survival.

13. Biosphere The part of Earth where life exists
The biosphere includes the top portion of Earth’s crust, all the waters that cover Earth’s surface, and the atmosphere that surrounds Earth.

14. Biosphere
The biosphere is made up of different environments that are home to different kinds of organisms.
For example, desert environments receive little rain.
Cactus plants, coyotes, and lizards are included in the life of the desert.

16. How is it all tied together?

17. Summary
Do you think ecosystems have borders? Explain your answer.