Ecosystem

An ecosystem consists of all the organisms living together in an area and their interactions with one another and with their environment.

Abiotic factors are non-living parts of an environment that can affect organisms. Examples include light, temperature, water, soil, and air.

Biotic factors are living parts of an environment that can affect organisms. Examples include plants, animals, microorganisms, and availability of food.

Organisms interact through predation, competition, symbiosis, and decomposition.

A food chain shows how energy flows from one organism to another, starting with a producer and followed by consumers.

A food web is a COMPLEX NETWORK of INTERCONNECTED food chains showing the multiple feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

A population is a group of organisms of the SAME SPECIES LIVING together and REPRODUCING in a particular area.

A community is made up of all the DIFFERENT POPULATIONS that live together in an environment.

Abiotic factors such as light, temperature, and water availability influence the survival, growth, and reproduction of organisms.

Biotic factors such as availability of food, presence of predators, and competition with other organisms affect the survival and reproduction of organisms.

Producers, such as plants, make their own food through photosynthesis and are a primary source of energy for consumers.

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and supporting the nutrient cycle.

Human activities such as deforestation, pollution, and overhunting can destroy habitats, reduce biodiversity, and disrupt ecosystem balance.

If the population of grasshoppers decreases, the population of toads that eat them will also decrease, while the population of grass that grasshoppers eat will increase.

Light is crucial for photosynthesis in plants, which is the foundation of energy flow in most ecosystems.

A habitat is the place where an organism lives, which provides the necessary conditions for its survival and reproduction.

Water is essential for life processes such as digestion, photosynthesis, and cellular functions in all living organisms.

Temperature influences the metabolic rates of organisms, their distribution, and the types of species that can survive in an ecosystem.

Air provides oxygen for respiration in animals and carbon dioxide for photosynthesis in plants, both essential for energy production.

Soil provides nutrients and a medium for plant growth, supports various microorganisms, and plays a role in the water cycle.