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Interactions Among

Living Things
Chapter 3 of CPO Text
Focus on Life Science

Introduction to the Lesson


http://www.brainpop.com/science/populat

ionsandecosystems/ecosystems/

Types of Habitats
Land Habitat

Water Habitat

Ecosystems and Habitats

Living Systems

made up of cells tissues organs- organ


systems- organism
has structure (its parts) and
function (what it does)
Ecosystem
higher level of organization above organisms
Made up of group of living things and their
surroundings. Ex. Biosphere or a drop of water
Habitat
a place where a particular organism lives
e.g. ocean is habitat of dolphin
fishbowl is habitat of a pet goldfish

Physical Variables (Abiotic Factors)


in Land Habitats (complete your organizer)

Temperature- most living things can survive in


temperatures above freezing and below 70C
Precipitation-living things need water to
survive; amount of precipitation determines the
kinds of life that can survive in a land habitat
Sunlight-provides energy for living things to
grow and survive; amount of sunlight determines
the amount of energy available in an ecosystem

Physical Variables (Abiotic Factors)


in Land Habitats
continued

Type of Soil
soil is a mixture of decayed plant and animal
parts and very small rock particles; type of soil
varies in different land habitats; soil is a habitat
for some organisms
Oxygen- most organisms need oxygen to live;
amount of oxygen in air varies depending on
altitude

Physical Variables (Abiotic Factors)


in Water Habitats (complete your graphic organizer)
temperature

precipitation

type of soil on
surrounding
land
too many nitrates
or phosphates in
runoff affects the
amount of
available
dissolved oxygen

sunlight

Physical
Variables
of water
Habitats

chemical
content of
water

pH 6-8 is
best

dissolved
oxygen
amount varies
with
temperature
and
movement

Pollutants

A pollutant is a variable that causes harm


to the organism
How harmful a pollutant is dependent on
- ability to cause harm
- concentration per unit of air, water, soil
- how long it stays in air, water or soil
Sulfur dioxide is an example. In high
concentrations can make breathing
difficult. It can increase cases of asthma,
bronchitis; can also react with air to cause
acid rain
Sources of pollutants can be natural or
man made. For example, sulfur dioxide
can come from coal power plant human
source) or volcanoes (natural)
Mercury is another example of a pollutant
that can come from a natural source or
from human activity

Individual organisms
can be organized into
populations
e.g. antelopes on a plain
Populations are grouped
into communities
e.g. antelopes birds and
other animals in the area
Different communities
are grouped into
ecosystems
e.g. antelopes, other animals and the river
trees, etc
Ecosystems grouped
together form the
biomes (areas of the world and the
organisms in it
Biomes are present in areas of the earth .
Collectively, biomes make up the
biosphere

Levels of Organization

Types of Interactions
(complete your graphic organizer)

(note) 1. competition

when organisms in a community vie for


the same food supply , ex. green crabs
compete against native species

Types of Interactions
(note)2. predator prey relationships
one eats the other
predators: organisms that hunt and feed

on other organisms
prey: the organisms that are eaten
Ex.

Types of Interactions
(note) 3. symbiosis
an interaction where 2 species live together for a
long time
(note all 3 types of symbiosis)
commensalism: one member benefits; other
member unaffected
mutualism: both members benefit
parasitism: one member benefits; other member
harmed

(note) Food Chains

A food chain is how each organism in a


community gets its food
Some animals eat plants and some animals eat
other animals
Plants and some protists are called producers
because they store energy from the Sun.
Animals that eat plants are called herbivores
Animals that eat other animals are called
carnivores
Organisms along a food chain pass on less
energy than they get from the food that they eat.

(note) Food Pyramid


(find your food web organizer to fill this out)

A food pyramid shows that a large


number of living things at the base
are needed to support a few at the
top. A food pyramid shows one
food chain. For example

hawk

snake

frog
grasshopper
grass

(note) Food Web

Most animals are part of more than one food chain. They
eat more than one kind of food to get enough food and
nutrients. You can connect many food chains to form a
food web. (complete your graphic organizer)

gull
seal
Striped
Bass

crab
sardines
zooplankton
worm

seaweed

snail

Toxins in the Food Chain

Toxins are pollutants that can be created by


human activities
High concentrations of toxins can impact
populations
Can cause slowed growth, decreased
reproduction, or death
Toxins like mercury dissolve in fat, not water.
They are stored in the fat tissues of herbivores
and are not passed out of their bodies.
Toxins can be passed to the offspring

Work on Pre-Assessment
Questions

Answer the section review on the back of your


packet
Do not leave any blanks
Make sure you ask questions if you have any to
complete the task properly
Turn your work in for credit
Make sure your project on this topic (Biome
Project) is labeled with your name, period and
date.

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