ROLE OF PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS IN AN ENVIRONMENT

October-27th, 2010

In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted in the Pacific Ocean, east of Java, spewing 150 million tonnes of volcanic ash and dust high into the Earth’s atmosphere. The ash gradually surrounded Earth and filtered the Sun’s light for months.

The summer months of 1816 were called “the year of no summer” in North America and parts of Europe. Snow covered areas around Montreal, Quebec City, and most of the USA for the month of June.

Crops spouted really late an were killed when the early frost hit in September. Families had no food for themselves or their livestock for the coming winter.

1. How would the lack of sunlight affect the normal interactions between living and non-living things.

2. Historical documents report that people had to abandon their farms and towns. Do you think that would happen again in this day if the sun’s rays were blocked?

WHAT OTHER MODERN HUMAN INTERACTIONS CAN DISRUPT THE BALANCE BETWEEN LIVING AND NON-LIVING THINGS?

Lets read some articles!! (yay!)

1. Noelle/Cecilia: Over forestation in Indonesia2. Sara/Leslie: BP oil spill in Gulf of Mexico 3. Max/Isabella: Overpopulation in China

QUESTIONS TO ANSWERAnswer the following questions to summarize

the articles:

1. What are the issues addressed in the articles?

2. Which countries are affected?3. How are the non-living and living things

affected?4. How does this issue effect the human race?5. What can be done to prevent this from

happening?

ROLES OF PRODUCERSQuestion points for exam:

Plants interact with the Suns light and heat to support life on earth.

Plants are the only organism that can use the Sun’s energy to produce food.

Other living things interact with plants as food or to find or make shelter.

On a sunny day you can feel the warmth of the sun on your face. The sun is an essential abiotic element in most ecosystems.

Two forms of energy come from the sun;

1. Light2. Heat

Are important to most life forms on the planet.

Producers: producers make their own food to be used for energy. All green plants are producers.

Consumers: must consume (eat) other living things to survive.

Consumers could not exist in an ecosystem without producers.

PRODUCERS ROLES 1. They produce oxygen

2. They supply food3. They provide

shelter.

PUT BOLD ON LEFT SIDE1. Producers Produce Oxygen-producers take in carbon dioxide and breathe

out oxygen.

2. Producers supply Food. -some animals only eat plants, and therefore

producers provide energy to those that eat them.

-certain animals eat animals that eat plants (humans eat cows)

-therefore all feeding interactions start with producers

3. Producers provide shelter-many plants provide shelter for animals. Example:a. Birds nest in treesb. Squirrels nest in hollowed tree trunksc. Beaver damsd. Insects live all over the forest.

Questions:1. Describe the interactions between the Sun

and Producers

2. Why is this interaction important?

3. What are the roles of producers within an ecosystem?

EXAM QUESTIONForests and meadows are often cut down to

make way for farms or campgrounds. What are some of the elements of ecosystems that are lost when plants in these areas are removed?

2. What are the roles of producers within an ecosystem.

3. I may give you a short article to read, and you must answer some questions about it. Like we did on Monday.

PHOTOSYNTHESISCopy the diagram from the board!

NOTE:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS IS NECESSARY FOR ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET! WITHOUT IT, WE WOULD NOT SURVIVE!

THE IMPACTS OF FLUID SPILLS ON AN ECOSYSTEM: CECILA AND SARA’S

ARTICLEOil is the most common pollutant of water.

More then 3 million tonnes of oil pollutes Earths water systems each year!

Oil is less dense then water, so it floats on the surface. This makes it easier to clean up.

Results of Oil Spills:

Cause Effects Oil coats the plants living on nearby shores

Oil breaks into smaller pieces, which is then eaten by smaller fish.

Oil coats the feathers and fur of birds and animals.

HOW DOES OIL EFFECT PRODUCERSHow do oil spills effect producers in the ocean?

Fridays lab; cleaning up oil spills/ planting our seeds for our plants.

CONSUMERSConsumers must eat other

living things

Six types of consumers:

Herbivores only eat plants

Omnivours eat plants and animals

Carnivours only eat animals, no plants.

Scavengers do not kill their own food, they feed off the remains ofdead animals (examplecrows, ravens, maggots)

Detrivors feed on waste. Examplessnails an earthworms

Decomposers break down dead plants and animals. Examplesfungi and bacteria

FOOD CHAINS