Ecosystems Study Notes
Key:
- Example (Dot points)
o Example (Long answer)
Ecosystems
Definition of ecosystem
- A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Differences between biotic and abiotic factors
- Biotic Factors: Living organisms
- Abiotic Factors: Non-Living organisms
- Key to differentiating: Bio-tic, bio for biology (Study of LIVING things)
o Biotic factors are the living things that are part of an ecosystem and abiotic factors and the non-
living components, both factors are what make up and ecosystem and therefore how they
interact is an important factor of an ecosystem.
Examples of different biomes and biotic and abiotic factors associated with these.
- Biomes: Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, Desert, Tundra
- Biomes can be broken down into smaller ecosystems
- Multiple ecosystems together become a Biome
o There are 5 major biomes, these are the Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, Desert and Tundra biomes,
these 5 biomes can be divided into smaller, more specific biomes such as fresh water, tropical
rainforest, temperate rainforest etc. There are many biotic and abiotic factors associated with
the aquatic biome, some biotic factors include plants such as coral, algae and seaweed, animals
such as fish etc. Abiotic factors include water, sun light etc.
Organization within ecosystems
- (cell organismspeciespopulationcommunityecosystem)
Interactions within Ecosystems
The relationship between producers, consumers and decomposers.
- Producers make their own food
- Uses air, light, soil, water
- Uses process called photosynthesis
- Consumers consume living things
- Decomposers eat dead organisms to break them down and bring nutrients back to soil
o Producers are living things that can produce their own food by using air, light, soil and water,
usually using the process of photosynthesis. Consumers, consume other living things such as
plants, animals (meat) and both. Decomposers eat dead animal and plant parts to break them
down into smaller particles to bring the nutrients back into the soil to be reused. All three of
these work together to produce, consume and decompose things within the ecosystem, and are
vital to the ecosystems they survive in.
Key:
- Example (Dot points)
o Example (Long answer)
Ecosystems
Definition of ecosystem
- A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Differences between biotic and abiotic factors
- Biotic Factors: Living organisms
- Abiotic Factors: Non-Living organisms
- Key to differentiating: Bio-tic, bio for biology (Study of LIVING things)
o Biotic factors are the living things that are part of an ecosystem and abiotic factors and the non-
living components, both factors are what make up and ecosystem and therefore how they
interact is an important factor of an ecosystem.
Examples of different biomes and biotic and abiotic factors associated with these.
- Biomes: Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, Desert, Tundra
- Biomes can be broken down into smaller ecosystems
- Multiple ecosystems together become a Biome
o There are 5 major biomes, these are the Aquatic, Grassland, Forest, Desert and Tundra biomes,
these 5 biomes can be divided into smaller, more specific biomes such as fresh water, tropical
rainforest, temperate rainforest etc. There are many biotic and abiotic factors associated with
the aquatic biome, some biotic factors include plants such as coral, algae and seaweed, animals
such as fish etc. Abiotic factors include water, sun light etc.
Organization within ecosystems
- (cell organismspeciespopulationcommunityecosystem)
Interactions within Ecosystems
The relationship between producers, consumers and decomposers.
- Producers make their own food
- Uses air, light, soil, water
- Uses process called photosynthesis
- Consumers consume living things
- Decomposers eat dead organisms to break them down and bring nutrients back to soil
o Producers are living things that can produce their own food by using air, light, soil and water,
usually using the process of photosynthesis. Consumers, consume other living things such as
plants, animals (meat) and both. Decomposers eat dead animal and plant parts to break them
down into smaller particles to bring the nutrients back into the soil to be reused. All three of
these work together to produce, consume and decompose things within the ecosystem, and are
vital to the ecosystems they survive in.
