Every animal needs a habitat that provides food, water, shelter, and space. An ecosystem is the community of living and non-living things interacting together. Energy flows through ecosystems via food chains and interconnected food webs. Producers (plants) capture solar energy, consumers (animals) pass energy along, and decomposers recycle nutrients. Biodiversity makes ecosystems more stable and resilient to change!
1. What four things does every animal need from its habitat? Explain why each one is essential.
2. Compare a rainforest ecosystem with a grassland ecosystem. How do they differ in climate, structure, and animal life?
3. Explain how energy flows through an ecosystem. Start with the sun and end with decomposers.
1. An ecosystem includes both living and non-living things.
2. All food chains begin with a producer.
3. The sun is the ultimate source of energy for most ecosystems.
4. Herbivores are secondary consumers.
5. A food web shows many connected food chains.
6. Decomposers are not important because they only break down dead things.
7. If a species disappears, it can affect the entire food web.
8. About 90% of energy is lost at each trophic level.
9. Coral reefs are found on land in tropical climates.
10. More biodiversity generally means a more stable ecosystem.
Word Bank: ecosystemhabitatphotosynthesisfood chainfood webproducerconsumerdecomposerbiodiversitycanopyintertidalsavanna
1. A community of living and non-living things interacting together is an ________________.
2. The place where an animal lives that provides food, water, shelter, and space is its ________________.
3. The process plants use to make food from sunlight is ________________.
4. A single path of energy from one organism to another is a ________________.
5. Many interconnected food chains form a ________________.
6. Organisms that make their own food are ________________.
7. Organisms that eat other organisms are ________________.
8. Organisms that break down dead matter are ________________.
9. The variety of life in an ecosystem is called ________________.
10. The top layer of a rainforest where most animals live is the ________________.
11. The area between high and low tide is the ________________ zone.
12. A tropical grassland with scattered trees is called a ________________.
For each organism, write its role: Producer (P), Primary Consumer (PC), Secondary Consumer (SC), Tertiary Consumer (TC), or Decomposer (D).
| Organism | Role | Trophic Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oak tree | ||
| Deer | ||
| Fox | ||
| Eagle | ||
| Mushroom (fungi) | ||
| Grasshopper |
Draw a complete ecosystem. Include at least: 3 producers, 3 primary consumers, 2 secondary consumers, 1 top predator, and decomposers. Draw arrows showing energy flow.
Ecosystem name: ________________ Type: ________________
Why is understanding ecosystems important? How does knowing about food webs help us protect the environment?
Which ecosystem would you most like to visit? Why?
Next Week: Conservation and Endangered Species
Our final week! We'll explore why some animals are endangered, what humans can do to help, and how we can protect the incredible biodiversity we've learned about this year.
⭐ Amazing work! You've mastered how animals and their habitats work together in ecosystems!