Everything is Connected
Ecology – the study of the interaction of organisms with one another and with their environment
Biotic – all the organisms that live together and interact with each other in the environment
Abiotic – the part of the environment that consists of nonliving factors: water, soil, light,
temperature
Organization in the Environment
Organism – an individual living thing
Population – a group of organisms of the same species that live in a specific geographical area
Community – consists of all the populations of species that live and interact in an area
Ecosystems – is made up of a community of organisms and the abiotic environment of the
community
Biosphere – the part of Earth where life exists
Section Review
3. Which of the following is the highest level of environmental organization?
a. Ecosystem
4. What makes up a community?
A community is made up of all the populations that interact in an area.
5. Give two examples of how abiotic factors can affect an ecosystem.
Temperature affects which animals can live in an ecosystem. The amount of water in an
area affects how easily certain plants grow.
7. What would happen to the other organisms in the salt-marsh ecosystem if the cordgrass
suddenly died?
The populations of organisms that fed on the cordgrass would decrease. The populations
of organisms that fed on the on the organisms that ate the cordgrass would then decrease
as well.
8. Explain in your own words what people mean when they say that everything is connected.
All living things depend on other living and nonliving things to survive.
9. Do ecosystems have borders? Explain your answer.
No, ecosystems do not have borders. Some ecosystems are partially contained, but water,
light, and many organisms move freely between ecosystems.