Ecosystems Basics

Ecosystems

Definition

An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living components interacting with each other in a specific environment.

Components

• Biotic factors: living components, such as plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
• Abiotic factors: non-living components, such as light, temperature, water, soil, and air.

Types of Ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems: forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundras.
• Freshwater ecosystems: rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
• Marine ecosystems: coral reefs, estuaries, and open ocean.

Energy Flow

• Producers: organisms that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis (e.g., plants).
• Consumers: organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms (e.g., animals).
• Decomposers: organisms that break down organic matter (e.g., bacteria, fungi).

Cell Biology

Cell Structure

• Plasma membrane: a semi-permeable membrane that separates the cell from its environment.
• Cytoplasm: a jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane, containing organelles and solutes.
• Nucleus: the control center of the cell, containing DNA.
• Organelles: specialized structures within the cell, such as mitochondria, ribosomes, and lysosomes.

Cell Functions

• Metabolism: the process of converting energy and nutrients into cellular components.
• Protein synthesis: the process of creating proteins from amino acids.
• Cell division: the process of a cell dividing into two daughter cells.

Cell Transport

• Passive transport: movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration (e.g., diffusion, osmosis).
• Active transport: movement of molecules from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration, requiring energy.

Ecosystems

• Ecosystems consist of living and non-living components interacting with each other in a specific environment.

Components

• Biotic factors include plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.
• Abiotic factors include light, temperature, water, soil, and air.

Types of Ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems include forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundras.
• Freshwater ecosystems include rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
• Marine ecosystems include coral reefs, estuaries, and open ocean.

Energy Flow

• Producers convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, such as plants.
• Consumers obtain energy by consuming other organisms, such as animals.
• Decomposers break down organic matter, such as bacteria and fungi.

Cell Biology

Cell Structure

• The plasma membrane is a semi-permeable membrane that separates the cell from its environment.
• Cytoplasm is a jelly-like substance inside the cell membrane, containing organelles and solutes.
• The nucleus is the control center of the cell, containing DNA.
• Organelles are specialized structures within the cell, such as mitochondria, ribosomes, and lysosomes.

Cell Functions

• Metabolism involves converting energy and nutrients into cellular components.
• Protein synthesis involves creating proteins from amino acids.
• Cell division involves the process of a cell dividing into two daughter cells.

Cell Transport

• Passive transport involves the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration, such as diffusion and osmosis.
• Active transport involves the movement of molecules from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration, requiring energy.

This quiz covers the fundamentals of ecosystems, including the biotic and abiotic factors, and types of ecosystems such as terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.