Ecology Vocabulary
All the words we need to know to talk about the systems
present in the world around us!
Ecology:
 The study of living things and the way they live in their
environment.
Ecosystem
All the living and non-living things in a
particular area.
Biotic Factors:
Living, once living
made by living things
Abiotic Factors:
Non-living
Environment:
 The set of living and non-living
things that make up a region.
Habitat:
 The place where an animal or plant
lives.
Using Ecology Vocabulary
 Use the pictures on the slides to answer the questions in
your noteblanks. Use the vocabulary you just learned!
 Some answers will not be visible in the picture, make
inferences!
 Work with your neighbors if you would like
Picture #1: Pacific Tree Frog in
Blackberry Bush
Picture #2: Douglas’s Squirrel in
Douglas Fir Forest
Energy Flow
How does energy move through an ecosystem?
Where does the energy in your body come from?
Energy Source: The Sun
 All the energy within our food originates from the sun –
 Plants make the sun’s energy into sugar
 All other animals must consume sugars to get energy
It comes from
the sun!
Food Chains
 A food chain shows where organisms get their energy from in
a particular habitat.
 The arrow points in the direction of the energy flow.
 Energy is passed along the food chain
 Now make a food chain!
Food Chains
Producer:
• Makes their own food from
carbon dioxide and water
using the energy from sun.
Primary (1st level) Consumer:
• Eats (Consumes) producers
Secondary (2nd level) Consumer:
• Eats primary consumers
Labeled Food Chain
Producer
Primary Consumer
 Energy is passed along the food chain.
Secondary Consumer
Food Chains
 Decomposer:
 a living organism that helps to break down dead organisms.
Food Webs
 In all healthy habitats, more than one organism
normally eats/is eaten by other organisms.
• A food web includes
many food chains
which interlink with
each other.
• Make a food web on
your page with the
pictures and info you
have!
Food Webs
 Herbivore:
 Animal that eats only plants.
 Carnivore:
 Animal that eats other animals.
 Omnivore:
 Animal that eats plants and other animals.
Food Webs
 Scavenger:
 an animal that eats decaying animals and plants
Activity: Food Chains in Food
Web
Key:
 Top predator: Hawk
 Producer: Marsh Grass, Cattail
 Consumers: Grasshopper, Cricket, Shrew, Frog, Snake, Hawk
 Primary (1o) consumer: Grasshopper, Cricket
 Tertiary (3o) consumer: Snake, Hawk
 Herbivores: Grasshopper, Cricket
 Carnivores: Shrew, Frog, Snake, Hawk
 What is another name for a primary consumer?
Fox & Sun
 Create a food chain to explain why a fox is reliant on
the Sun. Write it in your note blanks, and include:




The sun
A producer
A primary (1st level) consumer
The fox
Fox and the Sun
Food chain:
Sun
Grass
Rabbit
Fox
Fox and the Sun
 Now turn your chain into a web!
 Add:
1.
2.
3.
4.
One more producer
One more primary (1st level) consumer
One more secondary (2nd level) consumer
One tertiary (3rd level) consumer

Hint: 3rd level gets energy from the 2nd level!
Fox and the Sun
Sun
Grass
Blackberries
Rabbit
Mouse
Fox
Snake
Could you add more arrows?? Try!!
• Food webs are MESSY, because ecosystems are
complicated
Hawk