4/17/19

ECOSYSTEMS – CONT.

ECOSYSTEMS

A community of living things (plants, animals,

organisms) interacting with non-living parts
(air, water, temperature, sunlight, soil, climate)
of their environment.

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LISTEN…

What is meant by
circle of life?

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COMPLETE THIS TASK:

With your neighbor(s)…

1) Organize the picture
cards.
2) Use a string of yarn to
represent the circle of life.

FOOD CHAIN

Definition:
A flow or path of energy transfer from one
organism to another.

• Order in which animals feed on plants

and other animals.
• Shows how matter and energy move
through an ecosystem.

• Example:
sun à grass à antelope à lion à dung beetle

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ENERGY FLOW THROUGH LIVING ORGANISMS

2) Primary Consumers

Herbivore Prey

3) Secondary Consumers

Carnivore Predators
1) Producers

4) Decomposers
Sunlight (energy source)

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FOOD WEB

Definition:
A network of food chains,
multiple relationships and
connections.

• Shows how plants and animals

are connected in many ways to
help them all survive.

Food chain = follows just one path of

energy

IMPORTANCE OF THE FOOD CHAIN

• We all depend on food to survive.

• We get energy through eating, or consuming plants and animals
as food.
• It shows us where energy is transferred
• It helps to keep our environment balanced.
• It provides multiple and alternate pathways of food availability.