Neighborhoods

Ecosystems, Biomes, and Habitats

Ecosystems vary in size. They can be as small as a puddle or as large as the Earth itself. Any group of living and nonliving things interacting with each other can be considered as an ecosystem. Organization of Ecosystems Definition of Ecosystems Florida Ecosystems Aquatic Ecosystems Undersea and Oversee Seaweed Ecological Regions of North America Rewilding Mallory Swamp The World's Biomes

Investigate an Ecosystem Open the door and step into your ecosystem. Go outside and investigate the closest ecosystem.

Within each ecosystem, there are habitats which may also vary in size. A habitat is the place where a population lives. A population is a group of living organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same time. All of the populations interact and form a community. The community of living things interacts with the non-living world around it to form the ecosystem. The habitat must supply the needs of organisms, such as food, water, temperature, oxygen, and minerals. If the population's needs are not met, it will move to a better habitat. Two different populations can not occupy the same niche at the same time, however. So the processes of competition, predation, cooperation, and symbiosis occur. Habitats & Biomes Rocks and Minerals

Habitats, then, are specific to a population. Each population has its own habitat. For example, a population of ants has its own habitat. Ant Colonies Ants Leaf Cutter Ant Habitats

Ant Farming Observe an ant farm and make comparisons to other populations.

Several populations may share a habitat. For example, in a small pond several aquatic populations may co-exist in the same water at the same time. An aquarium is a good example of a shared habitat. Aquaria Resources Aquariums as a Hobby Neptune's Web Secrets of The Ocean Realm

Make an Aquarium Make your own aquatic ecosystem and observe the interaction between living and non-living things.

A terrarium is another place where several populations will peacefully co-exist in the same habitat. Vivaria are habitats where several plant and animal populations live together. Within any shared habitat, behavior influences the survival of a species. Behavior can be instinctual or learned. The Magic Terrarium Vivaria Projects Introduction to Terrarium and Vivarium Keeping Hydroponic Greenhouses Terrariums Constructing a Terrarium A Little History of Terrariums Biomes are ecosystems where several habitats intersect. The Earth itself is one large biome. Smaller biomes include desert, tundra, grasslands, and rainforest. Six Virtual Biomes Ecosystems, Biomes, and Watersheds: A Definition World Biomes The Great Basin Ecosystem The High Plains: Land of Extremes Virtual Rainforest Night Creatures of The Kalahari EcoQuest: Desert Edition Shades of Green: Earth's Forests Edens The African Great Lakes Region Animal Habitats

Biomes occur naturally, but people can also create controlled biomes. For example, you can integrate several small populations in a small space and observe what happens. A famous manmade biome is Biosphere 2. Try making your own biome and observing what happens. Biomes in a Box Biosphere 2

The energy cycle within biomes, habitats, and ecosystems determines which populations survive and which die. All living things need energy. Ultimately, the sun is the source of all energy in an ecosystem. Different species have different functions: producers, consumers, decomposers, and scavengers. Energy in Ecosystems Biomass Food Chain Food Chains and Food Webs

The Energy Cycle How does energy flow within an ecosystem? Use energy from decaying food samples to grow mold.

Habitats must also supply water for all living things to survive. Their needs are met through the water cycle. Hydrologic Cycle Water Cycle Real-Time Hydrologic Data Since energy and water are vital to the survival of an ecosystem, a system of conservation is needed. In many ecosystems, the conservation of resources is a natural, almost unnoticeable process. Life substances, for example, are recycled in the ecosystem. The exhange of carbon dioxide (given off by animals) and oxygen (given off by plants) is actually a process of conservation. The waste of one species becomes food for another. When resources become limited, the conservation process becomes more urgent and more visible with an increased need for recycling. World Conservation Monitoring Centre Forest Conservation Archives Biodiversity for Kids If conservation efforts fail, species become endangered and extinction can occur. A species becomes endangered when there is not enough habitat available to support all members of the population. When the habitat vanishes, and all members of the population die, then the species is considered extinct. Endangered Species Prisoners or Protected? A Zoo WebQuest Learning From The Fossil Record Extinctions: Cycles of Life and Death Through Time Endangered Species Endangered Species of Hawaii The Wild Ones Project Threatened Animals of the World Dodo Passenger Pigeon Disappearing Acts