Ecosystem Introductory Presentation

Introduction to Ecosystems

What is a SYSTEM? • A system is a set of parts which link together to make the system work. • There are inputs and outputs to the system. • A car's engine is an example of a system. An input to a car is petrol and an output is exhaust gases.

What is an ECOSYSTEM? • An ecosystem is a group of living things plus the nonliving things they need. • The parts of an ecosystem are linked together. • For example: in a woodland ecosystem, rain is an input which makes the trees grow. Evaporation is an output. • Copy the diagram and add examples to each box.

Examples of inputs/outputs/processes • Inputs: The inputs into an ecosystem may be water, CO2 (carbon dioxide), O2 (oxygen), matter, nutrients. • Processes: Processes can be transpiration, growing, eating, absorption, respiration, photosynthesis, etc. • Outputs: Outputs are waste or unwanted products such as O2 (oxygen), water, dead matter, CO2 (carbon dioxide).

At what SCALE do ecosystems operate? • There are many different ecosystems in the world. • Some are small-scale, such as a pond. • Others are large-scale and cover vast areas, such as a rainforest.

STORES and FLOWS • An ecosystem has a series of stores and flows. • In the woodland ecosystem, energy and matter is stored in the wood and the leaves. • There is a flow of nutrients from the soil to the leaves. • These are part of cycles such as the nutrient cycle and the water cycle.

FOOD CHAINS • Living things in the ecosystem are linked together by the flows of energy and matter as things eat each other. • These links can be shown as food chains

FOOD CHAINS

This shows a food chain in the sea. Removing one animal from this would seriously harm the system. HOW?

FOOD WEBS This shows a food web in a woodland area.

What would happen if the RABBITS were removed from the ecosystem?