InterdependenceInterdependenceof Living Thingsof Living Things

Created by Judy Boyle October, 2002

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Everyone plays a specific role in the ecosystem. You

might be "king of the hill" or you might be the bacteria under his feet.

However, each of you is incredibly important to the survival of the system, no matter what role you play.

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• The word ECOSYSTEMS is short for ecological-systems.

• An ecosystem includes all of the living organisms in a specific area. These systems are the plants and animals interacting with their non-living environments (weather, Earth, Sun, soil, atmosphere).

• You could have an entire ecosystem underneath a big rock. On the other hand, you could be talking about the overall ecosystem of the entire planet.

• So, an ecosystem can be as small as a puddle or as large as the Pacific Ocean. NextHome Back

All living things need energy.

The sun is the source of all energy in an ecosystem.

Different species have different functions:

1. Producers 2. Consumers 3. Decomposers

Find out about these species. Click here to view the movie.

When you get there, log on: User name: Redding ESPassword: library NextHome Back

1. ProducersProducers PRODUCERS are the

beginning of the food chain. These aren't producers like in

Hollywood. We're talking about plants and vegetables.

Plants are at the beginning of every food chain that involves the sun.

All energy comes from the sun and plants are the ones who can take that energy and make food. They use the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS.

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Photosynthesis is the process when plants

take energy from the Sun and create sugars.

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http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_foodchain.html

Here’s a diagram of the Food Chain:

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• Plants are able to turn sunlight into energy. Well... not directly. Plants are actually able to store energy in some chemical bonds that can be used later.

• There are two processes on Earth (1) Photosynthesis and(2) Respiration.

Photosynthesis stores the energy and respiration releases it.

It all starts with the sun.

                                                                                      

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1. ProducersProducers

1. ProducersProducers When that energy gets to a green plant, all sorts of reactions can take place to store energy in the form of sugar. When light gets to a plant, the plant doesn't use

all of it (only about 1%). It actually only uses certain colors to make photosynthesis happen.

Plants mostly absorb red and blue wavelengths. When you see a color, you are actually seeing a

color that the object does NOT absorb. In the case of green plants... They do not absorb light from the green range.

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2. ConsumersConsumers

CONSUMERS are the next level. There are three levels of

consumers:a. Primaryb. Secondaryc. Tertiary

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There are organisms that eat plants. They are sometimes called HERBIVORES.

Scientists named this first group of organisms the PRIMARY CONSUMERS.

©copyright 1997-2002 Andrew Rader Studios,                    

2a. ConsumersConsumers

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SECONDARY CONSUMERS eat the primary consumers. It's a tough world. You knew it would happen.

A mouse might be a primary consumer. A cat might be secondary consumer.

                                           

2b. ConsumersConsumers

Secondary consumers are also called CARNIVORES. Carnivore means meat-eater.

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2c. ConsumersConsumers In some ecosystems, there is a third level of

consumer called the TERTIARY CONSUMER

(that means third level). These are consumers

that eat the secondary and

primary consumers. A tertiary consumer could be a wolf that eats the cat and the mouse.

Some consumers are called OMNIVORES. Omnivores eat anything that they can. Humans and bears are considered omnivores, we eat meat and plants.

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Last of the players are the DECOMPOSERS. If you die, they eat you. If you lose a leaf, they eat it. Whenever something that was alive dies, the decomposers get it.

Decomposers break down the nutrients in the dead "stuff" and return it to the soil.

The producers can then use the nutrients and elements over again once it's in the soil.

                                           

3. DecomposersDecomposers

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The decomposers complete the system.

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Can you tell the difference between a Food Chain and……

……a Food Web?

Click here to see a detailed pond food-web. NextHome Back

Some Great ActivitiesSome Great Activities

Put a food chain together with "Chain Reaction.“

Try these challenges from Australia

Try making these three food webs.NextHome Back

More:Solve the link in the Food ChainClick here.

Now, take a Food Chain QuizYou’ll need to click on the link when you get there.

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