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EcosystemsAn ecosystem is a combination of all the living and
non-living elements of an area. It is made up of all the living
(such as plants, animals, and people) and non-living (such as
topography, climate, and water) elements in a particular area.
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ECOLOGYECOLOGY is the study of the natural environment and of
the relations of organisms to each other and to their
surroundings.
In this topic we will all be ecologists!
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Types of ecosystemsDesertRainforestBushlandCoral
reefsMangrovesRiversCavePondSand duneGrasslandsAlpine
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Ecosystems are made up of biotic (living) and abiotic
(non-living) factors.
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Biotic factorsPlants AnimalsFungiMicro-organisms. E.g.
bacteria,
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Abiotic factorsAbiotic factors in an ecosystem can determine
which organisms can live there. They
include:SunlightWindTemperatureAvailability of waterSoil
nutrientsRocks
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Desert
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Rainforest
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Bushland
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Coral Reefs
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Mangroves
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Rivers
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Cave
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Pond
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Sand dune
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Grassland
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Alpine
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Major Ecosystems of the World
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Australias major ecosystems
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PopulationA population is a group of organisms of the same kind
living in the same place at the same time e.g. The Bream population
in the Shoalhaven River. When all of the populations in an
ecosystem interact and form a community.
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.
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CommunityA community is a number of different populations
interacting with each other.
The community of living things interacts with the non-living
world around it to form an ecosystem.
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HabitatWithin each ecosystem, there are habitats which may also
vary in size.
A habitat is the place where a population lives. For example, a
population of ants has its own habitat.
A micro habitat is a habitat within a habitat e.g. a rock pool
on a rock platform.
The habitat must supply the needs of organisms, such as food,
water, temperature, oxygen, and minerals.
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InteractionsPopulations of animals interact with each other and
their environment in a variety of ways:Feeding behavior e.g.
herbivores & carnivores, predation.Competition e.g. food
(intra) & space (inter)Relationships e.g. parasitism
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Human Impacts on the environment
Global Warming Use of CFC's and impacts on the Ozone Layer
Overuse of Pesticides Use of PCB's Deforestation Destruction of
Wetlands Urban Encroachment Endangered Species Acid Rain Water
Contamination Use of Fossil Fuels Dams for Hydro Electricity
Disposal of Radioactive Wastes Oil Spills Smog Air Pollution Soil
Erosion Introduction of Invasive Species Heavy Metals Salting Roads
Crop Irrigation Irrigation, land erosion and pesticide run off