Biome noun
1.
plural noun: biomes
a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g.,
forest or tundra.
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Ecosystem
Definition
noun, plural: ecosystems
A system that includes all living organisms (biotic factors) in an area as well as
its physical environment (abiotic factors) functioning together as a unit.
Supplement
An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water
sources and the local atmosphere interacting with one another.
Word origin: coined in 1930 by Roy Clapham, to denote the physical and biological components
of an environment considered in relation to each other as a unit.
Related phrases: ecosystem model, ecosystem ecology, ecosystem diversity.
See also: biotic factor, abiotic factor, ecology.
http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth/stateoftheplanet/forests.html
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A habitat is that geographical unit that effectively supports the survival and reproduction of a
given species or of individuals of a given species; the composite of other organisms as well as
abiotic factors therein describe the geographical unit. Other organisms include the plants,
animals, fungi, bacteria, viruses and protozoans that also live in a given habitat. Abiotic
factors include soil types, water availability, temperature, sunlight, air quality and geometric
aspects of landforms that facilitate resting, foraging, nesting, mating, metabolic functions and
other activities.
http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/153222/
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Great food chain link:
http://www.field-studies-council.org/urbaneco/urbaneco/introduction/feeding.htm
A Food Chain is a model that shows the complex feeding relationships among organisms in a
community. In a food chain there are different types of organisms; Producers, Consumers,
and Decomposers. Producers giver energy for plants and grasses for photosynthesis. The
Consumers eat the producers because of they are not able to use photosynthesis. When the
Producers die, Decomposers are there to help break down the nutrients from the body, those
nutrients are a huge help to the plants and grasses. Thus starting over of the food chain.
A food web link from none other than a Maine school:
http://king.portlandschools.org/files/houses/y2/animalmaineia/files/species/wfrogkm/foodwe
b/food%20web.html