1. Everything is connected!
Cathcart
Science
PAGE IN THE TEXTBOOK

2. New Vocabulary Ecology
The study of the interactions between living things and between living things and their environment.

3. THE FIVE LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION
ORGANISM
POPULATION
COMMUNITY
ECOSYSTEM
BIOSPHERE

4. An organism is a living thing. A squirrel is an example of an organism.

5. Population
A group of the same kind of organism in the same area.
Example: The population of squirrels that live around the school

6. Community
All of the living things that live in the same area.
Example: the squirrels, sparrows, grass, trees, hawks, insects, earthworms that live around the school are part of a community

7. Ecosystem
The community of living things PLUS the non-living parts of the environment in a given area
Example: All of the living things plus the soil, temperature, rainfall, asphalt, cars and traffic noise around the school make up an ecosystem

8. The biosphere is the part of Earth where life exists.

9. Organisms need energy to live.
Organisms can be classified by how they get their energy.
Producers
Consumers
Herbivores
Carnivores
Omnivores
Scavengers
Decomposers

10. Producers
Producers make their own food called glucose.
Glucose contains energy from the sun.
Photosynthesis is the process of making glucose.
Examples of producer: green plants, algae, some bacteria

11. Consumers
Consumers eat other organisms to get their energy.
All animals and some bacteria are consumers.

12. Herbivores
Consumers that mainly eat plants are called herbivores.
Examples are mice, rabbits and caterpillars.

13. Carnivore
Animals that mainly eat other consumers are called carnivores.
Examples are: wolves, snakes, hawks and spiders

14. Omnivores
A consumer that gets its energy by eating both plants and animals is called an omnivore.
Examples are humans, rats, raccoons and bears.

15. Scavengers
Scavengers eat animals that have recently died.
Examples are lobsters, vultures, crows and hyenas.

16. Decomposers
Decomposers break down and feed on dead organisms and waste.
Examples are bacteria, mushrooms and earthworms.

17. Biotic Factors – the living parts of the environment
Abiotic Factors – the non-living parts of the environment

18. Energy flows among organisms in pathways called food chains and food webs.

20. Food Web