1. Ecosystems

2. Core Content
 SC-05-3.4.1 Students will describe and compare living systems to understand
the complementary nature of structure and function.
 SC-05-3.5.1 Students will describe cause and effect relationships between
enhanced survival/reproductive success and particular biological
adaptations (e.g., changes in structures, behaviors, and/or physiology) to
generalize about the diversity of species.
 SC-05-4.7.1 Students will: describe and categorize populations of organisms
according to the function they serve in an ecosystem (e.g., producers,
consumers, decomposers);draw conclusions about the effects of changes to
populations in an ecosystem.
 SC-05-4.7.2 Students should understand that a population consists of all
individuals of a species that occur together at a given place and time. All
populations living together and the physical factors with which they interact
compose an ecosystem.
 POS - SC-5-I-U-1
 Students will understand that within every ecosystem are populations of
organisms that serve specific functions. Changes to any population may
affect the other populations in that ecosystem.

3. What is an Ecosystem?
 An ecosystem is a community of living
things that interact with each other and
with the physical world.

4.  The plants and animals within each
ecosystem interact with each other and
the non-living elements of the ecosystem
like climate, precipitation, and soil.

5.  An ecosystem can be very small such as a
puddle or under a rock.
 It can also be as big as an ocean or a
desert.

6.  The balance of an ecosystem is
important. All things must work together to
provide a good living environment.
 For example, if there is not enough water,
plants and animals will die and the
ecosystem will not exist.

7. Examples of Ecosystems
 Desert
 Artic Tundra
 Rainforest
 Ocean
 African Savanna
 Swamp

8. Producers
 A living thing that can make its own food.
 Examples: Plants, Trees, Flowers

9. Consumers
 A living thing that gets its food from eating
other living things.
 Example: Polar bear eating a fish. A bird
eating a berry. A zebra eating grass.

10. Decomposers
 A living thing that breaks down other living
things to get nutrients and energy.
 Examples: Vultures eat dead animals.
Worms and beetles eat dead decaying
plants.

11. Population
 A group of living things that live in the
same place at the same time.
 Example: many penguins live in the artic;
many elephants live in the African
Savanna

12. Community
 When different populations live together
in the same habitat and interact with
each other.
 Example: Elephants, giraffes, and zebras
all live together in the Savanna.

13. Abiotic
 Any non-living organisms in an ecosystem.

14. Biotic
 Any living organisms in an ecosystem.

15. Food Chain
 Shows what eats what in an ecosystem.
 Example:

17. Food Web
 A food web consists of all the food chains
within a particular ecosystem.