Ecosystems: Everything Is
Connected
What is an ecosystem?
 An ecosystem is all of the organisms
living in an area together with their
physical environment
*Example: Forest, coral reef, even a
vacant lot
What are the components of the
ecosystems pictured?
Components of an Ecosystem
 An ecosystem is made up of both
living and nonliving things.
Biotic factors are the living and once
living things parts of an ecosystem.
*Example: plants, animals, leaves,
waste
Abiotic factors are the nonliving parts
of an ecosystem.
*Example: air, water, rocks, sunlight
What are the biotic and abiotic
components of the ecosystems
pictured?
Organization of Ecosystems
Organism


Species
Population
Community


An individual living thing.
Ex: a fish
A group of organisms that
can reproduce fertile
offspring. Ex: Bluegill fish
Members of the same
species that live in the
same area at the same
time. Ex: all the Bluegill in
a pond
Different species living in
the same place and
interacting. Ex: insects,
frogs, fish, and plants in a
pond.
Habitat
 A place an organism lives is called a
habitat.
 Every habitat has specific biotic and
abiotic factors that organisms living
there need to survive
 Organisms tend to well suited to their
natural habitat.
What are the biotic and abiotic
factors of the habitat that allow
zebras to survive?
Everything is Connected
 You can think of an ecosystem as
working like a car engine. The engine
of a car is made up of hundreds of
parts that all work together.
 What might happen to the car if one
of these parts breaks?
Everything is Connected
 The same applies to an ecosystem
 So, what might happen to an
ecosystem if one part is changed or
removed?