Interactions within Ecosystems

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Interactions within Ecosystems

• Chapter 1

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What is an ecosystem?

• An ecosystem is a group of interacting, living
  and non-living things.

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Types of Ecosystems in Newfoundland and Labrador

• Ocean ecosystem
• Cold water from the Labrador current.
• Organisms adapted to cold termperatures.
• Light penetrates between 100 and 200 meters.
• Examples of organisms would be cod, seals,
  whales, jellyfish, seaweed, microscopic plants,
  etc.

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Pictures of Oceans
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• Forest ecosystem
• Cover much of the province.
• Summers are cool and winters wet.
• Some bogs and marches develop where drainage is
  poor.
• Species include balsam fir, white birch, black
  spruce, mountain ash, moose, caribou, black bear,
  lynx, red fox, pine marten, and mink.

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Forest ecosystem
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• Arctic
• Northern tip of Labrador.
• Very low temperatures and little precipitation.
• In winter nights are long.
• Soil is permanently frozen about 1 meter down
  (called permafrost)
• Species include low shrubs, mosses, lichens,
  caribou, wolves, arctic foxes, arctic hares and
  lemmings.

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Arctic Ecosystem Pictures
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• Freshwater ecosystems
• Rain or snow supply water to freshwater
  ecosystems.
• Species include whitefish, sticklebacks, beavers,
  ducks, geese, frogs, insects etc.

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Freshwater Ecosystem Pictures
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Chapter 1 Terms

• Define the following in a foldable. After
  defining the word, use it in a sentence.
• Ecosystem
• Abiotic
• Biotic
• Species
• Organism
• Population
• Community
• Habitat
• Niche
• Range of Tolerance
• Population
• Community

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Core Lab 1 Field trip to school yard

• Bring you rubber boots

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Abiotic Influences

• Abiotic conditions affect ecosystems greatly.
• The following are some examples of abiotic
  factors in our ecosystems.
• Light and Light intensity
• Plants and algae need light to survive.
• They carry out photosynthesis.
• Amount of light limits the plants that can grow.
• Unlike plants, many animals love dark places. Eg.
  Insects under rocks.
• Changes in day length affects all living things.
  Eg. Trees shed their leaves in fall.

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• 2. Temperature
• Many reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects
  depend on sunlight for warmth.
• Temperature also affects the speed at which some
  organisms can reproduce and grow. Eg. Bacteria.
• Fruits ripen faster when the temperature is warm .

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• 3. Soil
• Soil is composed of dead plants, nutrients, air
  and water.
• It is needed for plants to anchor and provide
  nutrients.
• Provides habitat to some organisms. Eg. Worms,
  insects, etc.

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• 4. Air
• Plants and animals use oxygen for respiration
  (breathing).
• Birds, bats, ducks, etc. fly though air.
• Plants use air to spread seeds.
• Some plants have adapted to living in windy
  conditions. Eg. Tuckamore.

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• 5. Water
• All organisms require water.
• Some can live in dry conditions for long periods
  of time.
• Water keeps the land warmer in the winter and
  colder in the summer.
• The Labrador current has a cooling effect on the
  air temperature.
• Water also gives a surface for organisms to hunt
  from. Eg. Polar bears on ice.

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• 6. Wind
• Windy areas tend to be dry.
• Many organisms on the coast have high tolerance
  for salt that gets carried form the ocean by the
  wind.