Life Sciences - Term 3 - Week 9

An ecosystem consists of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components. Biotic components include plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, while abiotic components encompass sunlight, water, soil, and climate. These components interact in complex ways, forming food webs and nutrient cycles that sustain life. Understanding these interactions is crucial for studying ecological balance.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms within a given ecosystem. It is essential for ecosystem resilience, providing stability and the ability to recover from disturbances. High biodiversity contributes to ecosystem services such as pollination, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. Loss of biodiversity can lead to ecosystem collapse, making it vital to protect diverse species.

Consider a simple food web consisting of grass, rabbits, foxes, and hawks. Grass (producer) is eaten by rabbits (primary consumer), which are preyed upon by foxes (secondary consumer), and hawks (tertiary consumer) can eat foxes. If rabbit populations decline due to disease, the fox population may also decrease due to lack of food, demonstrating the interconnectedness of species within an ecosystem.

In groups, students will select a local ecosystem (e.g., forest, wetland, urban area) and identify its biotic and abiotic components. They will create a chart that lists these components and describes their interactions. This activity will help students visualize the complexity of ecosystems and understand the roles of different organisms.

Students will choose an endangered species and research its habitat, role in the ecosystem, and the threats it faces. They will prepare a presentation that includes information on conservation efforts and the importance of protecting this species for maintaining biodiversity. This project will encourage students to connect their learning to real-world issues.

• Biotic and abiotic
• Producers and consumers
• Herbivores and carnivores
• Primary and secondary

Answer: Biotic and abiotic

Ecosystems are made up of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components.

• Increased vulnerability to diseases
• Stability of ecosystems
• Reduced ecosystem services
• Limited food sources

Answer: Stability of ecosystems

High biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience and stability.

Answer: Biodiversity is the variety of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms in a particular ecosystem.

This definition captures the essence of biodiversity as it relates to the variety of life forms.

• It becomes more stable
• It may collapse
• It remains unchanged
• It becomes more diverse

Answer: It may collapse

Removing a key species can disrupt food webs and lead to ecosystem instability.

Answer: Deforestation and pollution.

Both activities lead to habitat loss and degradation, which threaten various species.

• Plants
• Animals
• Soil
• Bacteria

Answer: Soil

Soil is a non-living (abiotic) component that supports life in ecosystems.

Answer: Producers, like plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Producers are essential as they provide energy for all other organisms in the ecosystem.