Ecosystem Introductory Presentation
- 2. 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.
- 3. What is an ECOSYSTEM? An ecosystem is a group of living things plus the non-living 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.
- 4. Examples of inputs/outputs/processes Inputs: The inputs into an ecosystem may be water, CO 2 (carbon dioxide), O 2 (oxygen), matter, nutrients. Processes: Processes can be transpiration, growing, eating, absorption, respiration, photosynthesis, etc. Outputs: Outputs are waste or unwanted products such as O 2 (oxygen), water, dead matter, CO 2 (carbon dioxide).
- 5. 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.
- 6. 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.
- 7. 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
- 8. FOOD CHAINS This shows a food chain in the sea. Removing one animal from this would seriously harm the system. HOW?
- 9. FOOD WEBS This shows a food web in a woodland area. What would happen if the RABBITS were removed from the ecosystem?