Ecosystems
An ecosystem is all abiotic and biotic factors in a habitat interacting together.
Key Terms
Abiotic - nonliving
Examples: water, fire, rock
Biotic - living organism
Examples: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi
Examples: water, fire, rock
Biotic - living organism
Examples: plants, animals, bacteria, fungi
Chemical Cycles
We are just as dependent on the chemical cycles as we are dependent on the plants and animals in our environment.
Carbon Cycle |
What is Climate Change?More information on Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming: |
Communities
A community is all living organisms, or biotic factors, living and interacting together in a specific environment.
ProducerOrganisms capable of producing their own food and energy from sunlight, also known as Autotrophs.
CarnivoreOrganisms that only eat other animals for food and energy.
DetrivoresOrganisms that eat dead organisms or organic waste for food and energy. Detritivores and other decomposers are ESSENTIAL for the stability of the ecosystem because they recycle nutrients back into the organisms for producers to use.
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HerbivoreOrganisms that only eat producers as food for energy.
OmnivoreOrganisms that eat both plants and animals for food and energy.
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Food Web
Relationships
Individuals from different population interact within a community to form unique relationships.
Predator-Prey Relationship |
Batesian Mimicry |
Predators consumer prey for food.
Müllerian MimicryTwo unpalatable, or "non-tasteful," species that inhabit the same community mimic each other to increase predators' awareness to not eat them.... Safety in numbers!
CommensalismOne organism will benefit by interacting with another organism that does not care about the interaction.
Remora and a shark
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Prey will mimic or evolve to look like other species that are unappetizing to predators.
Red touches black, you're okay Jack
Red touches yellow, you're a dead fellow MutualismTwo organism will BOTH benefit from interacting together.
ParasitismOne organism will benefit from living on or in a host organism, while the host suffers or dies.
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