Elements of Ecosystems
An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living things that live and interact in a specific area.
What is the coldest ecosystem on earth? It is also very dry and there are no trees. It is mostly covered by grasses or mosses.
Tundra
What are the two types of aquatic ecosystems?
Freshwater and marine
What is an artificial ecosystem?
A man-made ecosystem created to mimic a natural ecosystem.
In what ecosystem can you find millions of insect species, three toed sloths, ferns & orchids?
Tropical Rainforest
Name the three living things found in an ecosystem.
Plants (flora), Animals (fauna), & Other organisms such as fungi & microorganisms
What is the richest ecosystem on the planet?
Tropical rainforests
What two types of water can a freshwater ecosystem include?
Standing water & flowing water
Name three artificial ecosystems.
Answers will vary
What ecosystem has high temperatures during the day and cool temperatures at night.
dessert
Name the 6 non-living elements of an ecosystem.
Non-living elements
soil (rocks & minerals), air, water, sunlight, temperature, climate
Name the grassland, such as steppes or prairies that are found in colder areas that are home to bison, wolves, and coyotes.
Temperate Grasslands
Name two characteristics of wetlands.
Areas where standing fresh water covers the soil basically all year long. During the dry season the water evaporates. They are very rich in biodiversity and have large numbers of bird species like pelicans.
What was the first artificial ecosystem ever created? This allowed people to domesticate animals and to increase food production.
Farm
In what specific ecosystem can you find elephants, giraffes, & zebras?
Grasslands, Savannahs
What is the name of the place where a particular plant or animal species normally grows and lives.
habitat
Name one adaptation for each an animal and a plant found in the desert.
answers will vary
What three main things deos the marine ecosystem include?
shoreline, coral reefs, and open ocean
Name two different aquatic ecosystems.
Fish farm, & aquarium
Provide 2 examples of how populations interact with their physical environment?
Answers will vary.
Fill in the blanks with the missing vocabulary.
Organisms in the same area form groups. Those that belong to the same species are called a ________. Populations interact with each other and form a ___________. Populations interact not only with each other but also with their environment.
Population, community.
Coniferous Forest: located in cold areas, home to evergreens and pines, animals like deers and foxes.
Temperate Deciduous Forests: dominated by trees like oaks and maples, these trees lose their leaves every winter. Home to squirrels and rodents.
Mediterranean Forest: found mainly around Mediterranean sea The flora and fauna include cork oaks and thyme and hawks and lynx.
Provide at leas two characteristics of a shoreline, coral reef, and open ocean.
Answers will vary
Do natural and artificial ecosystems have the same biodiversity? Why?
No. Natural ecosystems have much more biodiversity than artificial ecosystems as long as they are healthy and left undisturbed by humans which can drastically reduce biodiversity. They are especially rich in microorganisms found in the soil.
What kind of plants grow in a closed terrarium and why?
Tropical plants and mosses because it is wet and moist. The closed container locks in precipitation.