Ecosystems

empezar

Ecosystems

Biotic and abiotic factors are what make up ecosystems. Biotic factors are living things within an ecosystem; such as plants, animals, and bacteria, while abiotic are non-living components; such as water, soil and atmosphere. The way these components interact is critical in an ecosystem.

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

Population Changes

The number of individuals in a population is always changing.- Populations increase when offspring are produce or when new individuals move into a community. - Populations decrease when individuals die or move away.

Changes in the abiotic factors of an ecosystem affect population size. If a drought reduces plant growth, less food is available for plant eaters, which can lead to a decrease In plant-eater population.

Predators help control the size of prey populations.Individuals living together can increase competition and make it easier for disease to be transmitted from one individual to another.

+info

Carrying capacity is the largest number of individuals of one species that an ecosystem can support over time.

Overpopulation

The area becomes overpopulated.

What happens if a population exceeds its carrying capacity?

That population become extinct.

What happens if all the members of a population die or move away from an area?

Extinctions of one population can affect other populations.If all the individuals in a moose population died from starvations or disease carrying capacity for wolves in that population’s area could decrease because no moose would be available as a source of food.Plant-eating animals would no longer be competing with moose for food; therefore, their population’s carrying capacity increase.

How do living things interact?

Predation

• A niche (NICH) is the way a species interacts with abiotic and biotic factors to obtain food, find shelter, and fulfill other needs.

Niche

A predator is an organism that hunts and kills other organisms for food. Prey is an organism caught and eaten by a predator.Predation is the act of one organism, the predator, feeding on another organism, its prey.

Symbiosis Is a close, longterm relationship between two species that usually involves an exchange of food or energy.

Commensalism One specie benefits from the relationship, the other species is neither harmed nor benefit.

Parasitism One specie (the parasite) benefits, and the other (the host) is harmed.

Mutualism Both species benefits from the relationship.

Types of Symbiosis