Ecology Science Matters Chapter 16
Learning outcomes Understand what the term ecology means. Be able to name different habitats. Be able to give examples of producers, consumers and decomposers in the habitat. Be able to draw a simple food chain and food web and show the energy flow within it. Understand and be able to give examples of adaptation, competition, interdependence in habitats
Vocabularly Ecology Habitat Ecosystem Population Producer Consumer Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore Decomposer Food chain Food web Adaptation Competition Interdependence
Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.
How organisms interact Animals need plants for food and shelter Plant need animals to transfer pollen and to scatter seeds After plants and animals die they need bacteria and fungi to decompose them and return their nutrients to the earth
Biosphere The Biosphere is the part of our planet earth which can support life.
Ecosystem A Habitat and its community of plants and animals is called an ecosystem
An Ecosystem is made up of living and non living parts The animals and plants are living and Rocks, water and weather are non - living
What is a Habitat? A habitat is a place where a particular animal or plant species lives.
Irish Habitats Woodlands Riverbanks Meadows Ponds Hedgerows Seashores
Woodland Habitat
Riverbank Habitat
Meadow Habitat
Seashore Habitat
Hedgerow Habitat
Pond habitat
Populations in a habitat Each habitat is made up of different populations of plants and animals e.g. A hedgerow might have a population of woodlice, a population of nettles and a population of hawthorn trees in it
Feeding Relationships in a Habitat 20
Producers Green plants which photosynthesise are known as producers e.g. Grass
Consumers Organisms which cannot photosynthesise are called Consumers Rabbits Aphids (Green fly) Lady Birds Thrushes
Consumers Herbivores (Primary Consumers) Feed on plant material only (Rabbits) Carnivores (Secondary Consumers) Feed on animal material only (Fox) Omnivores (Tertiary Consumers) Feed on both plant and animal material (Eagles)
Decomposers Organisms that break down dead plants and animals Bacteria, fungi, beetles and Earthworms
Food Chains A food chain is a list of organisms in the order in which one is eaten by the other
Food Webs Food chains are usually interconnected into a food web This proves that organisms in a habitat are dependent on each other A food web is a series of interconnected food chains
Food Web
Food Web
Food Web
Remember Producers are grazed on by many consumers Carnivores eat more than one type of herbivore Food chains are usually longer than 3 steps Food chains interconnect to form food webs
Adaptation When a living thing has developed characteristics that make it well suited to its environment.
Most plants and animals are specially adapted to survive in a particular habitat. They have developed special features to suit the demands of their environment.
Some examples of adaption
Thorns to protect itself and bright coloured petals to attract insects Green camouflage and strong back legs Ability to fly and coloured red and black to warn predators that it does not taste nice
Competition All habitats have limited resources. Competition is the struggle between species for resources
Examples Frogs compete with fish for food Plants struggle for light Animals fight for mating rights Birds compete for nesting sites
Interdependence When two organisms rely on each other for survival we call this inter-dependence Examples : Plants rely on bees to pollinate them Trees give shelter to birds
Animals and plants help each other Plants and animals depend on each other for a wide variety of things. Protection and Shelter Nests to reproduce Food Gas exchange
Today we have learned 1. Understand what the term ecology means. 2. Be able to name different habitats. 3. Be able to give examples of producers, consumers and decomposers in the habitat. 4. Be able to draw a simple food chain and food web and show the energy flow within it. 5. Understand and be able to give examples of adaptation, competition, interdependence in habitats
Tonight Revise Chapter 16 in your textbook Then Complete 16.1 to 16.9 on pages 106 and 107 Then tomorrow night read chapter 17 in preparation for your practical on Friday. Also you must purchase a set of exam papers for 3.50 money in on Friday