What is an ecosystem?
An The living organisms in a particular area, together with the non-living components of the environment. is a natural environment and includes the All types of plant species that live in a specific area. (plants) and All the different types of animals that live in a specific area. (animals) that live and interact within that environment. Flora, fauna and Single-celled microorganisms, some of which are pathogenic in humans, animals and plants. Singular is bacterium. are the Living elements of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals. or living components of the ecosystem. Ecosystems are dependent on the following Non-living elements of an ecosystem, such as climate, temperature, water, and soil type. or non-living components:
- Average weather conditions over longer periods and over large areas. - the temperature and amount of rainfall are very important in determining which A type of organism that is the basic unit of classification. Individuals of different species are not able to interbreed successfully. can survive in the ecosystem
- soil - the soil type is important as this provides nutrients that will support different plants
- water - the amount of water available in an ecosystem will determine which plants and animals can be supported
The biotic parts of the ecosystem, which include bacteria, flora and fauna, have a complex relationship with the abiotic components - changing one will lead to a change in the other.
Energy flows
Energy flows through an ecosystem in a number of A sequence (usually shown as a diagram) of feeding relationships between organisms, showing which organisms eat what and the movement of energy through trophic levels.. Plants act as Plants that begin food chains by making energy from carbon dioxide and water. at the start of all food chains, making food from the process of A chemical process used by plants to make glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water, using light energy. Oxygen is produced as a by-product of photosynthesis. Algae subsumed within plants and some bacteria are also photosynthetic.. An animal that feeds only on plants. then eat the plants - these are the first An organism that obtains its energy by eating other organisms.. Herbivores are then eaten by An animal that eats meat or flesh only. - the second consumers.
Food chains inter connect in an ecosystem to form a complex A network of food chains, showing how they all link together..
Cyclic movements of nutrients such as calcium, potassium and magnesium within an ecosystem. move valuable minerals like nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium through the ecosystem. An organism which eats dead organisms, fallen leaves, animal droppings, etc, and breaks them down into simpler materials. such as small bacteria and fungi break down dead vegetation and animals and return nutrients to the soil.