2.2: Introducing Ecosystems
pg. 30
Ecosystem: all the living organisms in an area and their
non-living environment.
Biotic Factors: living things, their remains, and the
features, such as nests, associated with their activities.
Abiotic Factors: the non-living characteristics of an
ecosystem.
Population: all the members of the same species that live
in the same ecosystem.
Community: all the living organisms, from all the
populations, that live in the same ecosystem.
A Complex System
The living organisms; in their habitat, along with the nonliving environment, make up the ecosystem. All the
components that make up an ecosystem are interrelated,
such that when one is changed the others are influenced or
affected.
Living and Non-Living
The living components of an ecosystem are known as biotic
factors, and include the living organism, its waste, their
homes, and their remains.
The non-living components of an ecosystem are known as
abiotic factors, and included the weather, water, and rocks.
Everything is related, when a biotic factor is changed can
affect any abiotic factor or vice versa.
Populations and Communities
When the same species of organism lives within the same
area (ecosystem) it is known as a population.
When many different species live within the same area
(ecosystem) and interact, it is known as a community.
Figure 1: Deer are a population in this ecosystem. So are populations of different grass,
bird, and tree species. Populations of grasses, deer, birds, and wolves in the same area
make up a community.
Differences in Ecosystems
Ecosystems can vary in size and include various types of
different organisms, in large or small populations. A large
ecosystem may also contain smaller ecosystems within;
such as, a forest ecosystem (large) can also have a different
ecosystem found in a rotten log (small). Each ecosystem
has distinct features.
Table 2: Examples of Large and Small Ecosystems
Check Your Learning:
Questions 1 – 5, pg. 33
Wrap Up:
-Ecosystems are made up of biotic and abiotic factors.
- Biotic factors are living things, their remains, and features
associated with their activities in an ecosystem.
- Abiotic factors are non-living physical features of an
ecosystem.
- A population is made up of all the individuals of the same
species in the same ecosystem.
- A community is all the populations in the same ecosystem.