Unit 6 ECOSYSTEMS

HABITATS

A HABITAT IS A PLACE WHERE A PARTICULAR ANIMAL OR PLANT SPECIES LIVES. IT IS THE NATURAL HOME OF A LIVING THING.

CHARACTERISTICS OF HABITATS

TEMPERATURE

SOIL (WITH ROCKS AND MINERALS)

SUNLIGHT

AMOUNT OF WATER

CLIMATE

AIR

HUMAN BEINGS CAN LIVE IN DIFFERENT HABITATS

THE PLANT LIFE IS CALLED THE FLORA.

 
  THE ANIMAL LIFEIS CALLED THE FAUNA.


POPULATION
ORGANISMS OF THE SAME SPECIES THAR LIVE IN THE SAME AREA.

COMMUNITIES

A COMMUNITY IS A GROUP OF LIVING THINGS (DIFFERENT POPULATIONS) LIVING IN THE SAME HABITAT . THEY NEED SIMILAR CONDITIONS (SIMILAR TEMPERATURE, SOIL, SUNLIGHT, AIR, CLIMATE AND AMOUNT OF WATER).

ECOSYSTEMS

AN ECOSYSTEM IS A HABITAT AND ALL THE LIVING THINGS THAT LIVE IN IT (LIVING THINGS AND NON-LIVING THINGS IN A SPECIFIC AREA).

We can see a video about types of soil

And here we have another one about animal types based on habitats

HOW LIVING THINGS INTERACT

RELATION BETWEEN LIVING THINGS IN AN ECOSYSTEM

RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SAME SPECIES

PROTECTION

ELEPHANTS, ZEBRAS, BUFFULOS, GAZELLES... LIVE IN HERDS FOR PROTECTION.

This is a vedeo of lions attacking a baby elephant. Although elephants are together in a herd, lions take advantage of the darkness at night to attack the little one.

This time elephants protect themselves and the lions run away.

In this video a zebra saves his/her life trying to drawn a lion

HUNTING

WOLVES, HYENAS, DOLPHINS AND ANTS HUNT OTHER ANIMALS IN PACKS.

       RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPECIES

NUTRITION

EXCREMEN FROM ANIMALS GIVE THE SOIL NUTRIENTS THAT PLANTS USE TO MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD.

HERBIVORES EAT THE PLANTS AND CARNIVORES EAT HERBIVORES.

REPRODUCTION

MANY ANIMALS HELP PLANTS TO REPRODUCE: INSECTS TAKE POLLEN FROM ONE FLOWER TO ANOTHER.

 

 

FOOD CHAIN:

EACH LIVING THING DEPENDS ON OTHER LIVING THING FOR ITS FOOD.

THE FIRST LINK IN A FOOD CHAIN IS A PLANT (OR ALGAE) BECAUSE IT MAKES ITS OWN FOOD -PHOTOSYNTHESIS- (PRODUCER)

THE SECOND LINK IS A HERBIVORE BECAUSE IT EATS THE PLANT (PRIMARYCONSUMER)

THE THIRD LINK IS THE CARNIVORE BECAUSE IT EATS OTHER ANIMALS (SECONDARYCONSUMER). PREDATORS ARE ANIMALS THAT HUNT AND EAT OTHER ANIMALS (PREY).

IN AN ECOSYSTEM THE SAME ANIMAL CAN BE BOTH PREDATOR AND PREY.

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
ARCTIC AND ANTACTIC REGIONS

THEY ARE VERY COLD

IT SNOWS

ANIMALS

POLAR BEAR

SEAL

ARTIC FOX

ARCTIC HARE

PENGUIN

PLANTS

THERE ARE VERY FEW PLANTS.

LICHENS

DESERT

IT IS HOT DURING THE DAY

IT IS COLD AT NIGHT

IT IS VERY DRY (LITTLE RAINFALL)

ANIMALS

CAMELS AND DROMEDARIES

SCORPION

SPIDER

PLANTS
CACTUS

MEDITERRANEAN FORESTS

MILD TEMPERATURE

LITTLE RAINFALL DURING THE SUMMER

MANY TREES 

HOLM OAK

MANY ANIMALS AND INSECTS

FOXES

BOARS

LIZARDS

LYNX

MICE

TOADS

GRASSLANDS

LARGE AREAS OF GRASS - NOT ENOUGH RAINFALL FOR TREES TO GROW.

 

TWO TYPES OF GRASSLANDS:

1. SAVANNAHS: WARM ALL YEAR (ELEPHANTS, RHINOS, GIRAFFES, ZEBRAS, LIONS...)

2. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS: DRY AND WINDY CLIMATES (BISON, DEER, RABBITS...) 

URBAN ECOSYSTEM

 MAN-MADE AREAS (PIDGEONS, SQUIRRELS, RATS, DOGS, CATS, INVERTEBRATES...)

 
 
 

AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS:

MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IN OCEANS AND SEAS.

IT IS SALT WATER.

ANIMALS:

 SHARKS

 WHALES

 JELLYFISH

 OCTOPUS

 CORAL

PLANTS: MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALGAE

FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS:

RIVERS

LAKES

PONDS

ANIMALS:

 INSECTS

 FISH

 FROGS

PLANTS: WATER LILLIES