5th Grade Ecosystems Study Guide
5.L.3.1 5.L.3.2 5.L.3.3- Ecosystems
Vocabulary:
Ecosystem – interaction of organisms with their physical environment
Organism – living things
Biotic- living organisms
Abiotic- non-living organisms
Energy Pyramid – a diagram showing the loss of energy at each feeding level
Trophic Level – the levels on an energy pyramid are called trophic levels
Consumer – an organism that gets its energy (food) by eating another organism
Producer – an organism that uses the sun's energy to make food
Decomposer- an organism that gets its energy from breaking down decaying organic
material.
Scavenger- any animal that feeds on decaying organic matter
Carnivore – a consumer that eats other consumers
Herbivore – a consumer that eats producers
Omnivore – a consumer that eats both consumers and producers
Competition – relationship between two or more organisms in which they compete for
resources (shelter, food, water, mates, etc )
Predation – relationship between organisms in which one organism eats the other
organism for food.
Symbiosis – relationship (usually long term) between two organisms in which at least
one benefits
Mutualism – symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit from the
interaction
Parasitism – symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits while harming the
other organism
Commensalism – symbiotic relationship in which one organism benefits while the other
organism is neither harmed nor benefited.
Terrestrial - land environment
Aquatic - water environment
Estuary- a body of water found where freshwater rivers meet the saltwater sea/ocean
Pond- a still body of water smaller than a lake
Lake- a body of fresh water found inland fed by rivers, is not part of an ocean or sea,
and is larger and deeper than a pond.
Salt marsh- an area of low coastal grassland frequently overflowed by the tide near
estuaries
Forest- an area of land densely populated with trees.
Grassland- a large, flat area of land with few trees which is mostly populated by tall
grasses.
Content Understandings and Skills:
 Be able to draw a basic food web to show the transfer of energy between
organisms.
 Be able to identify producers, consumers, and decomposers(label above) in
a food web and give examples of each.
Producer
Consumer
Decomposer
 Describe and give examples of the three types of interactions between
organisms discussed in class (competition, predation, symbiosis).
Competition
Predation
Symbiosis (any type)
 Explain how animals compete to survive.
 Describe and give examples of three types of symbiosis (mutualism,
parasitism, and commensalism).
Commensalism
Mutualism
Parasitism
 Be able to list biotic and abiotic factors that may affect the survival of
organisms in ecosystems.
Biotic Factors
-
Abiotic Factors
-
 Explain how animal populations change when food sources are increased or
decreased.
 Explain how interrelationships between organisms enable some organisms
to survive.
 Explain how human’s influences may help or harm ecosystems.
Ecosystems Vocabulary Home Quiz:
1. _____Ecosystem
2. _____Organism
3. _____Biotic
4. _____Abiotic
5. _____Energy Pyramid
6. _____Trophic Level
7. _____Consumer
8. _____Producer
9. ______Decomposer
10.______Scavenger
11.______Carnivore
12.______Herbivore
13.______Omnivore
14.______Competition
15.______Predation
16.______Symbiosis
17.______Mutualism
18.______Parasitism
19.______Commensalism
20.______Terrestrial
21.______Aquatic
22.______Estuary
23.______Pond
24.______Lake
25.______Salt marsh
26.______Forest
27.______Grassland
*Check yourself with definitions
when you are done.
a. relationship between organisms in which one
organism eats the other organism for food.
b. an organism that gets its energy (food) by
eating another organism
c. relationship (usually long term) between two
organisms in which at least one benefits
d. an area of low coastal grassland frequently
overflowed by the tide near estuaries
e. relationship between two or more organisms
in which they compete for resources ( shelter,
food, water, mates, etc )
f. symbiotic relationship in which one organism
benefits while the other organism is neither
harmed nor benefited.
g. symbiotic relationship in which one organism
benefits while harming the other organism
h. a body of fresh water found inland fed by
rivers, is not part of an ocean or sea, and is
larger and deeper than a pond.
i. an organism that gets its energy from
breaking down decaying organic material.
j. a body of water found where freshwater rivers
meet the saltwater sea/ocean
k. an organism that uses the sun's energy to
make food
l. an area of land densely populated with trees.
m. a large, flat area of land with few trees which
is mostly populated by tall grasses.
n. symbiotic relationship in which both
organisms benefit from the interaction
o. interaction of organisms with their physical
environment
p. living organisms (factors)
q. non-living organisms(factors)
r. a diagram showing the loss of energy at each
feeding level
s. the levels on an energy pyramid are called
trophic levels
t. land environment
u. a still body of water smaller than a lake
v. a consumer that eats producers
w. water environment
x. a consumer that eats other consumers
y. living things in an ecosystems
z. any animal that feeds on decaying organic
matter
aa. a consumer that eats both consumers and
producers