2. What does the term dynamics
mean to you?
Dynamics means
change
3. Ecosystems need two major
factors to function as a working
system.
Matter (stuff) atoms, molecules,
materials
Energy, the ability to change
“stuff”
4. EXPLAIN ENERGY TRANSFER
With your table
partner, explain
how energy moves
through the
system pictured.
5. QUESTIONS: 1) Where does the energy
for an ecosystem originate (start?) 2) From
where does the small fish obtain the energy
it needs? 3) Does one small fish fulfill the
energy needs of the larger fish? 4) Do you
think that all of the energy in one step
makes it to the next level as it is consumed?
If not, where might it go?
6. There are two important laws in
science that govern energy movement
in an ecosystem. They are the first and
second law of thermodynamics.
First Law: Energy can not be created or
destroyed only transferred from system to
system.
Second Law: At every energy transfer some
energy is transferred from the system as heat
energy.
7. So if energy can’t be created or
destroyed from where does it
come?
11. Each energy level in our ecosystem has a name:
Producers=Plants/Algae=Autotrophs
Producers get their name because they are the first step in
an ecosystem, they “produce” food. They transfer sunlight
energy into usable food energy. While they don’t make
the energy they do transfer it from sunlight to food.
12. Consumers=organisms that cannot make their
own food must eat other organisms. They are
known as consumers, sometimes they are called
heterotrophs. They feed either directly or
indirectly on producers for their energy needs. Do
you know some common consumers?
13. Consumers can be divided up into several subcategories
including: Herbivores,, carnivores, omnivores, detrivores,
and decomposers. Can you define and give examples of
each of these consumers, discuss your ideas with your
table partner.
14. Can you define the following and provide an
example of each type of consumer?
Herbivores:
Carnivore:
Omnivores:
Detritivores:
Decomposers:
21. Consumer trophic level classifications:
Depending on what the organism does
for energy it may be referred to as a
primary consumer, secondary consumer
or tertiary consumer. Primary
consumers are almost always herbivore,
while secondary and tertiary consumers
are usually omnivores or carnivores.
Look carefully at the following picture,
can you identify all the levels of
consumers?
22.
23. The total number and types of
organisms (biotic factors) in a given
environment interacting together are
known as the ___________.
Community
25. TROPHIC LEVELS
Tropic levels are the levels of nourishment (energy levels) in
a food chain.
producer
____________________ is a trophic level.
carnivore
____________________ is a trophic level. Etc…
Living organisms that transfer energy and recycle
nutrients through an ecosystem make up what is known
as the community in an ecosystem.
26. Energy flow through the
community can be represented in
several ways:
FOOD CHAINS, FOOD WEBS, and
ENERGY PYRAMIDS-(Oh my!)
28. Can you and your table partner make a food
chain with 4 energy transfers that could be
found in Northbrook?
29. Food webs: demonstrate the
feeding relationships and
biodiversity of the ecosystem.
The food web uses arrows to
demonstrate the flow of energy
through the web. Note the
increased complexity in the
web vs. the food chain.
30.
31. Aquatic Food Web
Notice the
many different
arrows going
from the frog.
A food web
shows what the
frog will eat
AND what eats
the frog.
32. Energy pyramids: demonstrates the
energy/biomass (amount of living
matter) availabile at each trophic level in
an ecosystem.
33. Energy/Biomass pyramid: What
do you observe?
What happens to the shape of the chart as we
get higher? What happens to the number of
organisms? Why?
34. What biotic and abiotic factors do you
think might limit the biomass at each
trophic level in an ecosystem?
35. More energy pyramids (note what happens to the
number/mass of organisms at each level as the energy is
passed through an ecosystem, where does it go?)
36. Why do you think the number of
steps in a food chain or levels in
a food pyramid is usually limited
to only 4 or 5 steps? (hint: What
do you know about energy?)
38. What did the packaging peanuts
represent?
What did the passing of the peanuts
represent?
What does each student represent?
What does dropping the peanuts on
the ground represent?
39. It is important to remember that
energy flows in only one direction
and does not cycle through the
ecosystem.
However, nutrients and organic compounds
do cycle through the ecosystem and are used
by living organisms over and over again.
What are some cycles that exist on earth in
order to circulate nutrients throughout out
ecosystem?
41. Cycles
Cycle defined: A As producers,
consumers and
series of regularly decomposers grow and
reoccurring die, they are using life’s
events that essential chemicals or
nutrients, taking these
usually ends up nutrients from and
back at the returning them to their
original starting reservoirs in the earth’s
air, soil, and waters
point. over and over again.
42. Some common cycles include the following:
The Water Cycle. (Much more on this one later.)
46. It is important to remember that
matter cycles through an ecosystem,
the world has been using the same
molecules over and over again. The
water that was in a dinosaur some
500 million years ago may be in us
right now.
47. It is also important to remember
that while matter continually
cycles through and ecosystem,
energy does not. It must
constantly be supplied to make
the system run.
50. Adaptation defined:
A characteristic or feature of an
organism that allows it to survive or
improves the likelihood it will survive
and reproduce in its environment .
51. Adaptation is caused by change.
Because living organisms are in the
process of both acting upon their
surroundings and being acted upon,
all plants and animals and the
places where they live are in the
process of becoming something else
in order to survive as a species.
52. Adaptation
In the overall story of life, some
plants and animals end up with new
and successful ways of meeting their
needs by solving the problems
brought about by the changes that
occur in their environment.
53. 2 Types of adaptations:
Structural: how the organism is put
together (physical features) Some scientists
also break these types of adaptations down
to include chemical adaptations.
Behavioral: how the organism acts.
Using response cards, decide whether the
following are structural “S” or behavioral
“B” adaptations
65. Conclusion
Consider the themes within the ecology
unit that we have covered. They have
included: abiotic and biotic factors,
biodiversity, community, environment,
energy, cycles, and change/adaptation.
These themes along with the common
characteristics of life and the definition of
science will be covered on our unit one
exam.
