Ecosystems and Biomes
Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Key Ideas:
 The energy role of an organism is that of a producer,
consumer, or decomposer.
 Producers are the source of all the food in an ecosystem.
 Consumers include herbivores, carnivores, omnivores,
and scavengers.
 Decomposers return nutrients to the environment where
they can be used again.
 A food web shows feeding relationships.
 At each level in an energy pyramid, there is less available
energy than at the level below.
Additional Key Terms:
food chain
Ecosystems and Biomes - Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Food Chains and Food Webs
The movement of energy though an ecosystem can be
shown in diagrams called food chains and food webs.
Ecosystems and Biomes - Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Building Vocabulary
A definition states the meaning of a word or phrase by telling
about its most important feature or function. After you read
the section, reread the paragraphs that contain definitions of
Key Terms. Use all the information you have learned to write
a definition of each Key Term in your own words.
Key Terms:
Examples:
energy
food
chain
pyramid
consumer
food
web
herbivore
producers
omnivore
carnivore
scavenger
Anaenergy
In
food chain,
pyramid
a consumer
shows how
could
much
beenergy
an herbivore,
moves
an omnivore,
from
one level or
to a
another
carnivore,
in a food
including
web,abeginning
scavenger.
with the producers.
decomposer
Decomposers are nature’s recyclers.
Ecosystems and Biomes
End of Section:
Energy Flow in
Ecosystems
Ecosystems and Biomes
Cycles of Matter
Key Ideas:
 Matter cycles through an ecosystem. Energy must be
supplied constantly.
 The processes of evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation form the water cycle.
Additional Key Terms:
Ecosystems and Biomes - Cycles of Matter
The Water Cycle
The processes of evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation make up the water cycle.
Ecosystems and Biomes - Cycles of Matter
The Carbon and Oxygen Cycles
In ecosystems, the
processes by which
carbon and oxygen are
recycled are linked.
Producers, consumers,
and decomposers play
roles in recycling carbon
and oxygen.
Ecosystems and Biomes - Cycles of Matter
The Nitrogen Cycle
In the nitrogen cycle, nitrogen moves from the air to the soil,
into living things, and back into the air.
Ecosystems and Biomes - Cycles of Matter
Sequencing
Sequence is the order in which a series of events occurs. As
you read, make a cycle diagram that shows the water cycle.
Write each event of the water cycle in a separate oval.
The Water Cycle
Water
evaporates.
Precipitation runs off
or becomes
groundwater.
Clouds form.
Precipitation
falls.
Ecosystems and Biomes
End of Section:
Cycles of Matter
Ecosystems and Biomes
Biogeography
Key Ideas:
 Means of dispersal or organisms include continental drift,
wind, water, and living organism.
 Three factors that limit dispersal are physical barriers,
competition, and climate.
Additional Key Terms: biogeography, native species, exotic
species, invasive species
Ecosystems and Biomes - Biogeography
Continental Drift
One factor that has affected how species are distributed is
the motion of Earth’s continents.
Ecosystems and Biomes - Biogeography
Relating Cause and Effect
As you read, identify Three Causes of Dispersal. Write the
information in a graphic organizer like the one below.
Causes
Wind
Effect
Water
Living things,
including humans
Dispersal of
species
Ecosystems and Biomes - Biogeography
Relating Cause and Effect
As you read, identify Three Limits to Dispersal. Write the
information in a graphic organizer like the one below.
Limits
Physical Barriers
Effect
Competition
Climate
Limited dispersal
of species
Ecosystems and Biomes - Biogeography
Limits to Dispersal
The typical weather pattern in an area over a long period of
time is the area’s climate.
Ecosystems and Biomes
End of Section:
Biogeography
Populations and Communities
Succession
Key Ideas:
 Primary succession occurs where no previous ecosystem
exists. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance.
Additional Key Terms: succession, pioneer species
Populations and Communities Changes in
Communities
Primary Succession
Primary succession is the
series of changes that occur in
an area where no soil or
organisms exist.
Populations and Communities Changes in
Communities
Secondary Succession
Secondary succession is the series of changes that occur in
an area where the ecosystem has been disturbed, but where
soil and organisms still exist.
Populations and Communities Changes in
Communities
Comparing and Contrasting
As you read, compare and contrast carbohydrates, proteins,
and lipids in a table like the one below.
Factors in
Succession
Possible cause
Type of area
Existing ecosystem?
Primary
Succession
Secondary
Succession
Volcanic eruption
Fire
No soil or organisms
exist.
Soil and organisms exist.
No
Yes
Living Resources
Environmental Issues
Key Ideas:
 Three types of environmental issues are resource use,
population growth, and pollution.
 Making environmental decisions requires balancing
different viewpoints and weighing the costs and benefits
of proposals.
Additional Key Terms: renewable resources, nonrenewable
resources, development viewpoint, preservation
viewpoint, conservation viewpoint
Living Resources - Environmental Issues
Identifying Main Ideas
As you read the section “Types of Environmental Issues,”
write the main idea in a graphic organizer like the one below.
Then write three supporting details that give examples of the
main idea.
Main Idea
Three types of environmental issues are…
Detail
Resource use
Detail
Population growth
Detail
Pollution
Living Resources
End of Section:
Environmental
Issues
Living Resources
Biodiversity
Key Ideas:
 Factors that affect biodiversity include area, climate, and
diversity of niches.
 Human activities that threaten biodiversity include
habitat destruction, poaching, pollution, and introduction
of exotic species.
 Three techniques for protecting biodiversity are regulating
capture and trade, captive breeding, and habitat
preservation.
Additional Key Terms:
keystone species, extinction,
endangered species, threatened species
Living Resources - Biodiversity
Diversity of Species
The number of different species in an area is called its
biodiversity.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
Factors Affecting Biodiversity
Factors that affect biodiversity in an ecosystem include area,
climate, and diversity of niches.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
California Peregrine Falcon Recovery
The peregrine falcon, the
world’s fastest bird of prey, was
nearly extinct in the United
States in 1970. The pesticide
DDT was weakening peregrine
eggshells, so eggs rarely
hatched. In 1972, the United
States banned DDT. Use the
graph to answer questions
about the peregrine population
in California.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
California Peregrine Falcon Recovery
Reading Graphs:
What variable is plotted on
the x-axis? What variable is
plotted on the y-axis?
Time interval in years is on
the x-axis. Number of
breeding pairs of peregrine
falcons is on the y-axis.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
California Peregrine Falcon Recovery
Interpreting Data:
How did California’s
peregrine population change
from 1976 to 1998?
The population grew
steadily, except for a brief
drop around 1980, until
1994, when the number
of breeding pairs
remained the same for
the four following years.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
California Peregrine Falcon Recovery
Inferring:
Why do you think the
peregrine population grew
fairly slowly at first?
There were only a few
breeding pairs at first, and
they could produce only a
few young. These, in turn,
had to grow up before they
had a chance to breed. As
more pairs grew to breeding
age, more and more young
could be produced.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
California Peregrine Falcon Recovery
Predicting:
What might this graph have
looked like if DDT had not
been banned?
The graph probably would
have sloped downward from
left to right, possibly
reaching zero breeding
pairs.
Living Resources - Biodiversity
Building Vocabulary
After you read this section, reread the paragraphs that
contain definitions of Key Terms. Use all the information you
have learned to write a meaningful sentence using each Key
Term.
Key Terms:
Examples:
biodiversity species
threatened
Species
The
biodiversity
that couldofbecome
ecosystems
endangered
can have
in great
the near
economic
future
are value.
called threatened species.
keystone
species
habitat destruction
A
keystone
species
is a species
that influences
the
The
major cause
of extinction
is habitat
destruction.
survival of many other species in an ecosystem.
Breaking larger habitats into smaller, isolated pieces,
Genes
are theisstructures
in an fragmentation.
organism’s cells that
or fragments,
called habitat
carry its hereditary information.
The
killing or removal
of wildlife
The illegal
disappearance
of all members
of aspecies
speciesfrom
from
their
habitats
is
called
poaching.
Earth is called extinction.
habitat fragmentation
gene
poaching
extinction
captive
breeding
endangered
species
Captive
breeding
is becoming
the matingextinct
of animals
zoos or
Species in
danger of
in theinnear
wildlife
preserves.
future are
called endangered species.
Living Resources
Biodiversity Concept Map
http://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/ebook/products/0-13-036740-0/shockwaveinteractivities/inl1sxgobiodiver/simbase.htm
Living Resources
End of Section:
Biodiversity
Living Resources
Graphic Organizer
Biodiversity
can be protected by
is valued for
Economic
value
Ecological
value
is threatened by
Habitat
destruction
Habitat
preservation
Captive
breeding
Poaching
Pollution
Laws
Poaching