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Explore the components of ecosystems and how they interact with each other. Learn about the importance of soil, air, water, heat, sunlight, and living organisms in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Discover how human activities can impact ecosystems and why it is crucial to preserve and understand them.
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Understanding Ecosystems Egaaju Farms
What is an ecosystem? An ecosystem is an area that is made up of living and non-living things that interact with each other. Ecosystems are often categorized by the amount of sunlight and rainfall they get, and the condition of the soil. Deserts, for instance, don’t get much rain so they have very little water. Each ecosystem has its own community of plants and animals that have adapted to its surroundings.
Parts of an ecosystem Everything in the natural world is connected. An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that work together. The different parts of the ecosystem i.e. soilair,heat & light, water, living organisms (plants & animals), all work together to make a balanced system!
Soil Soil is a critical part of an ecosystem. It provides important nutrients for the plants in an ecosystem. It helps anchor the plants to keep them in place. Soil absorbs and holds water for plants and animals to use and provides a home for lots of living organisms.
Air The atmosphere provides oxygen and carbon dioxide for the plants and animals in an ecosystem. The atmosphere is also part of the water cycle. Without the complex interactions of elements in the atmosphere, there would be no life at all!
Heat & Sunlight The heat and light from the sun are critical parts of an ecosystem. Without heat and light from the sun there would be no plant and animal life on earth.
Water Water is the most abundant resource of the Earth's system, covering about 70 percent of the planet. Without water all life would die!
Living organisms The living organisms in an ecosystem can be divided into three important categories. 1. Producers are the green plants. They make their own food. 2. Consumers are animals of three types. Herbivores that eat plants, carnivores that eat meat and omnivores that eat plants and other animals 3. Decomposers are plants and animals that break down dead plants and animals into organic materials that go back into the soil
How do we change ecosystems? • Build structures like dams, or develop land on the banks of rivers, it can cause flooding, which can affect the species living there • Accidentally or knowingly start fires, which can destroy entire ecosystems! • Cutting down trees and destroying habitats so that they can make room for buildings, houses, farms and roads • Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil, which can pollute the air, soil, and/or water • Using certain farming practices which deplete the soil of nutrients and cause pollution to run off into water sources When such things happen, species that depend on these natural resources are affected, and that can lead to a change in an ecosystem.
Why should we learn about this? A healthy ecosystem has a diversity of species and is less likely to be seriously damaged by human interaction, natural disasters and climate changes. Every part of the ecosystem has a unique and special place that helps keep the system healthy. By understanding and maintaining this co-existence, we help keep our planet healthy.
