What is an Ecosystem?

1. What is an Ecosystem? Ecology is the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their physical environment.

2. Vocabulary • habitat – the place where a particular population of a species lives • population – a group of species • community – made up of the many different species that live together in a habitat • ecosystem – consists of a community and all the physical aspects of its habitat

3. abiotic factors – the physical aspects of a habitat; ex; soil, water, air • biotic factors – the organisms in a habitat; living organisms • biodiversity – a measure of the number of species living within an ecosystem; ecosystems contain diverse organisms

4. Ecosystems change through the process of Succession. • succession – the replacement of one type of community by another at a single location over a period of time • primary succession – succession that begins in an area that previously did not support life

5. pioneer species – the first organisms to live in a new habitat; usually small, fast growing plants • secondary succession – the process by which one community replaces another community that has been partially or totally destroyed

6. Environmental Disturbances: • fire • flood • crop harvesting • logging • disease • drought climax pioneer species

7. Which diagram shows 1° succession? A. B.

8. Which diagram shows 2° succession? A. B.

9. What are the pioneer species in A and B? A. B.

10. Typical Stages of Succession pioneer community climax community

11. Typical Stages of Succession Question: After a volcanic eruption, lava covers the land. What is the order that plants grow to repopulate the area? a. Lichens → Shrubs → Grasses → Trees b. Shrubs → Trees → Grasses → Lichens c. Grasses → Lichens → Shrubs → Trees d. Lichens → Grasses → Shrubs → Trees