2.  Biotic- Living  Organism- any living thing  Population- a group of the same organisms living in the same area  Community- a group of different populations living in the same area

3.  Abiotic- Non living  Abiotic factors in an ecosystem include: 1. Climate (temperature, precipitation, seasons) 2. Land/Aquatic formations Habitat- the physical place where organisms live

4.  An ecosystem is a complex system where communities interact!

5.  A food web shows how energy is transferred in an ecosystem from the producers (organisms who get their energy from the sun) to consumers (organisms that eat other organisms for survival)

6.  Ecological Niche is the role an organism plays in it’s ecosystem. Each role is important in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem. These roles include: 1. Producer 2. Primary Consumer 3. Secondary Consumer 4. Tertiary Consumer 5. Scavenger 6. Decomposer (fungi and bacteria)

7.  Because there are only a finite amount of resources on our planet, nature has developed a way to continue to use these valuable resources over and over, so that life can continue on this planet.

10. The nitrogen cycle is important because plants need nitrogen to carry out the processes that allow them to live. It is the most abundant gas in our atmosphere. Without it, life would not be possible.

11.  Being the Apex Predator of our planet, humans have the largest impacts on their ecosystems. Unfortunately, this impact isn’t always positive. In fact, with our advances in technology, most of us leave a negative “ecological footprint” in our daily lives. If we are to maintain a balance with our ecosystems, we need to change the way we live.  Every little bit counts!!!

12.  In order to change, we need to know the following information:  What actions impact our ecosystems?  How those actions impact our ecosystems?  What we can do to lessen the impact of our actions on our ecosystems.