Vocabulary
What is a decomposer?
an organism that breaks down dead material (dead plants or animals)
Example of a decomposer: a mushroom
Name two things that animals need to survive.
examples: food, shelter, sunlight, water, air
Robins (a type of bird) like to live in trees where they can have shelter and find tree bugs to eat. Which one of these things could ruin a robin's ecosystem?
a. prairie dogs making tunnels in the ground
b. beavers making dams to create homes in ponds
c. humans tearing down trees (also known as clearing the forest)
d. ants making anthills in the grass
c. humans tearing down the trees - if there are no trees, the robins cannot build a nest high up. There also would be no tree bugs for them to eat.
What is the difference between living and nonliving things?
living things can grow and change, eat, breathe, reproduce, etc.
nonliving things can't do any of this
example: animal vs. rock
Who is the predator and who is the prey?
lion, coyote
predator - lion
coyote - prey
What is an ecosystem?
All the living and nonliving things that interact together in an area
Why do some organisms only live in certain environments?
Because different organisms need different things. Some environments have what they need (like a special kind of food or shelter) and some environments might not have what they need.
Which is an example of one organism depending on another for its needs?
a. a frog cooling down in a pond
b. a hawk eating a mouse
c. an oak tree getting sunlight
d. a rabbit digging a hole
b. a hawk eating a mouse
What is the name for all the living and nonliving things that interact together in an area?
an ecosystem!!!
Who is the predator and who is the prey?
frog, minnow
predator - frog
prey - minnow
What is a food web?
an interconnected set of food chains
A new type of fish has been introduced to Lake Michigan (one of the USA's great lakes.) This new kind of fish is eating lots of food and taking up space that the current kind of fish use. What do you think will happen to the current fish now that the new fish are taking over?
Examples: The current fish will probably die out over time.
The current fish will run out of food and space to live.
Which would cause the rapid disruption of an ecosystem?
a. introducing a new species
b. slow change in temperature
c. changes in rainfall
d. one organism eating another
a. introducing a new species
What is a species?
A group of living things that are very similar to one an another and can reproduce more of their kind
Example: a certain kind of dog, like a golden doodle
What are interactions?
actions by one thing that have an effect on another
What is a need?
Requirements of an organism for survival
What is an organism?
a. a part of the human body
b. a self-contained living thing
c. a group of animals
d. a very small bacteria
b. a self-contained living thing
interdepence
when the needs of one organism are linked to another
What is needed in an ecosystem to support all the needs of all the animals?
a. mountains for shelter
b. soil for digging
c. sunlight for the plants
d. open spaces so animals can watch for predators
c. sunlight for plants - remember the sun is always the start!!!