Section: What Is an Ecosystem?
Read the passage below. Then answer the questions that follow.
Ecology is the study of the interactions of living organisms with one another and with their physical environment.
The place where a particular population of a species lives is its habitat. The many different species that live
together in a habitat are called a community. An ecosystem, or ecological system, consists of a community and all
the physical aspects of its habitat, such as the soil, water, and weather. The physical aspects of a habitat are called
abiotic factors, and the living organisms in a habitat are called biotic factors. The number of species living within
an ecosystem is a measure of its biodiversity.
SKILL: READING EFFECTIVELY
In the space provided, write the term or phrase from the passage above that best matches the
description. Some terms or phrases may be used more than once.
_______________________ 1. all living organisms in a habitat
_______________________ 2. number of species living within an ecosystem
_______________________ 3. study of a habitat’s abiotic and biotic factors
_______________________ 4. deer, squirrels, and rabbits living together in a forest form this
_______________________ 5. an ecological system
_______________________ 6. soil, water, and weather are examples of these
_______________________ 7. place where a population lives
_______________________ 8. all species of freshwater fish that live together in a lake form this
_______________________ 9. consists of a community and abiotic factors
An analogy is a comparison. In the space provided, write the letter of the term that best completes the
analogy.
______10. Biotic is to bird as abiotic is to a. grass b. tree. c. nest. d. worm
In the spaces provided draw the pictures for each level of organization.
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
1. What is ecology? _________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2. Of the three terms, biome, community, and ecosystem, which term contains the other two?
3. Describe what biodiversity means in your own words
4. What is the term for an organism that has an unusually large effect on its ecosystem?
5. Why might it be important to preserve areas with high biodiversity?
6. Give a synonym to producer __________________________, consumer ______________________
7. List all the biotic and abiotic factors on your picture. Identify each biotic factor as consumer or producer.
Biotic
Abiotic
Autotrophs
Heterotrophs
8. What is the difference between a consumer and a producer?
9. Why are producers so important to an ecosystem?
10. Name the process by which producers obtain energy ____________________________________________________
Describe this process
11. Why is the Sun important to both producers and consumers?
GIVE A GOOD ANSWER
12.
Explain how a change in an abiotic factor such as sunlight would affect biodiversity
13.
How would the removal of a keystone species affect an ecosystem’s biodiversity?
14.
What role might an abiotic factor such as temperature play in the evolution of a species?