Ecosystems
What is a habitat?
A habitat is a place whee living organisms live. It has the physical conditions necessary for these living organisms to survive.
What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is when a living organism needs to adapt their body or their behaviour to survive.
What is a food chain?
A food chain shows the relationship between living organisms and their nutrition function.
Name three things that ecosystems give us.
- Air (oxygen) - Physical and mental well- being
- Water - Education
- Food - Recreation
- Raw materials - Ecotourism
Name 3 natural causes of changes in an ecosystem.
- Drought
- Flooding
- Forest fires
- Volcanic eruptions
- Earthquakes
- Tornadoes
- Tsunamis
Name three examples of habitats.
- Desert habitat.
- Ocean habitat.
- Grassland habitat.
- Tropical forest habitat.
- Woodland habitat.
- Seashore habitat
How is a fish's body adapted to living in water?
It has fins to swim and gills to breathe.
Name the three groups of living organisms in a food chain.
- Producers
- Consumers
- Decomposers
There are many ways we can help and support ecosystems. Can you name two?
- Protecting habitats
- Recovering ecosystems
- Improving air, water and soil quality
- Reducing pollution
- Consuming in a more controlled and responsible way
- Planting and harvesting crops responsibly
What is a humanised ecosystem?
It is an ecosystem that has been changed because of human activities, for example, pollution, deforestation, plastic waste or construction.
TRUE / FALSE:
Ecosystems can only be natural. Explain your answer with examples.
False.
Ecostsystems can be natural or artificial. Examples of artificial ecosystems are zoos, aquariums, greenhouses...
How is a polar bear's body adapted to its cold environment?
A polar bear has got a thick fur coat and layers of fat to keep warm.
Why are producers called producers? What do they produce?
Producers have this name because they use the photosynthesis function to make (produce) their own food. They are plants and algae.
Why do they say humans are SUPER CONSUMERS?
Humans are super consumers because they take more resources from the environment than they need.
Name some changes that alter the ecosystem.
- Pollution
- Natural disasters
- Deforestation
- Excessive hunting, fishing or intensive farming
- Introducing species from other ecosystems
What is an ecosytem?
An ecosytem is a community of living organisms and their physical environment that interact.
How are cactus adapted to the desert habitat?
They have spines and thick stems to conserve water.
What are the three different types of consumers?
Consumers can be herbivores (feed on plants), omnivores (feed on plants and animals) or carnivores (feed on other animals).
What are the 3 R's?
- Reduce
- Reuse
- Recycle
Name some changes that don't alter the ecosystem.
Changes between day and night.
Changes in seasons
Animal migration
Tides
What are the three types of ecosystems? Name some examples of each.
Aquatic: ponds, lakes, rivers, seas...
Terrestrial: Forest, desert, meadows...
Mixed: Wetlands, mangroves, marshes...
What is camouflage? Name an example of an animal that uses this adaptation.
Camouflage is when the animal's body is the same colour as its environment.
Examples are the stick insect, the chameleon, the snow leopard...
What is the function of decomposers in the food chain?
Decomposers (fungi and bacteria) break down dead organisms into minerals and return them to the earth.
Name 4 ways that you and your family can help to protect the environment.
Separating and recycling your rubbish.
Turning off the lights and electrical appliances that you are not using.
Having showers instead of baths.
Turning off the taps when you brush your teeth.
Taking your shopping bags to the supermarket.
Reducing the plastic you use at home.
Installing solar panels or using electric cars.
Walking or using public transport when possible.
Explain animal migration.
Animal migration is when large numbers of animals move to a different region , for example, when animals move to warmer countries in the winter when the weather becomes colder.