Ecosystems

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT​

​An ecosystem consists on all the living things and non living things in a specific area and the interaction between them.

interaction​

• flora (plants)

• fauna (animals)

• other organisms

• soil

• air

• water

• temperature

• humidity

• climate​

All ecosystems have living things and non-living things (physical environment)​

​

1. LIVING THINGS: (biocenosis)

All the animals, plants and other living things as algae, fungi, bacteria.

A rich ecosystem has highly diverse fauna (animals) and flora).​

ELEMENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM

​

SPECIES: a group of individuals with similar characteristics. They can successfully reproduce.

POPULATION: All the individuals of the same species living in a particular place.

COMMUNITY: All the populations that live in a particular place.​

BIOSPHERE: All living things on Earth.​

The ducks are a species (the ones from this lake and others that live in other places)

These ducks from the lake are a population ​(they live there)

The ducks, fish, insects, plants... form a community​

​

In this ecosystem...

These antelope are a population.

The antelopes, the plants and the tiger are a community.

Yes, there is a tiger. It is hidden...

poor antilopes.​

In this ecosystem...

All ecosystems have living things and non-living things (physical environment)​

​

2. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT (biotope)

Non-living components that interact with living things and with each other.

• Non-living things (rocks, water, air...)

• Factors (temperature, humidity, light...)​

ELEMENTS OF AN ECOSYSTEM

​

HABITAT: The place where an animal or plant usually grows or lives.

It has to have good conditions for the living-thing to live there.

​

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS, found in two types of physical environments:

1. Terrestrial environments

2. Aquatic environments

​Humid climate and cool summers.

Fauna: bullfinches, bears, wolves...​

​Replace this with your body text.

​Duplicate this text as many times as you would like.

Have a nice day. Happy teaching!

FORESTS are ecosystems with many trees.

Trees provide shelter and food for animals.​

​In tropical areas.

Fauna: elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions...​

In humid regions with cold winters

Flora: grasses, clovers, wildflowers

Fauna: butterflies, grasshoppers, bison, wolves..​

GRASSLANDS are large flat areas dominated by grasses.​

In very dry regions with extreme temperatures.

Flora: small shrubs.

Fauna: hares, mice, lizards...​

DESERTS are the driest and hottest places on Earth. Temperature are extreme: very high during the day, very low at night.

​Flora: cacti, small bushes

Fauna: lizards, snakes, camels, scorpions...

TUNDRA is the coldest ecosystem on Earth. It is also very dry. It is located in the land areas near the North Pole

​Flora:

There are any trees.

Lichens, mosses and grasses.​

Fauna: Reindeers, caribou, artic foxes, polar bears, white wolves...

TROPICAL RAINFOREST are warm and wet all year long.

Half of the plant and animal species on Earth live there.​

​Flora:

Evergreen trees, orchids, ferns...

Fauna: Snakes, monkeys, jaguars, insects and tropical birds.

These are affected by tides and waves​. The are home to seagulls, oystercatchers, sand fleas and sandworms

​These are shallow areas with sunlight which allow algae to grow. They are home to starfish, seagulls, octopuses, sea anemones, moray eels and seaweed.

There are two types of aquatic ecosystems: marine and freshwater ecosystems.​

Marine, or saltwater ecosystems, have high salinity.

This is the deep sea far from the coast.

It is home to jellyfish, sea turtles, tuna, sharks, dolphins and whales.

​Off all the marine ecosystems coral reefs are the richest in number of species.

Water in MARINE ECOSYSTEMS is in constant movement due to waves and currents

The water is always moving, living things adapt to the flow.

Fish, crocodiles, otters, turtles, frogs.​

Water in FRESHWATER ecosystems has very low salinity​

Ponds are smaller than lakes.

There are no waves.

Fish, tadpoles, ducks, dragonflies and water lilies.​

​

Freshwater covers the soil. Sometimes, during the dry season, the water evaporates.

Ducks, herons, frogs, snakes, water beetles.​

Humans have created artificial ecosystems for their own benefit.

They can be Terrestrial or Aquatic.

CITIES AND TOWNS​

​Urban ecosystems occupy only 2% of the land surface on the planet, but half the human population live there.

Fauna: dogs, cats, birds, mosquitoes, rats, flies, pigeons, storks...

Flora: grassess, trees, bushes, flowers.​