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Interactions in Ecosystems2CHAPTEREcosystems are made up of
living things (biotic factors) and non-living things (abiotic
factors), which are connected to each other in complex
interrelationships.
Nutrients are cycled within an ecosystem. producers consumers
decomposers producers
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Interactions in EcosystemsEnergy flows through ecosystems. This
energy comes from an outside source: the Sun.
Ecologists represent food and energy flows in food chain, food
web, and pyramid diagrams.2CHAPTER
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Interactions in EcosystemsActivityUsing the food web on the
right, predict what might happen if a disease killed all the krill
in the ecosystem. Which species would be affected, and how? Try
drawing a new food web.
You can find more information on food chains and webs on pages
3436 in the student book.2CHAPTER
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Interactions in Ecosystems2Key IdeasLiving things are connected
to each other in complex interrelationships.
Biotic and abiotic factors are responsible for shaping a
community of living things.
Nutrients cycle within ecosystems.
Energy flows through ecosystems.CHAPTER
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An ecosystem is made up of a community of organisms and the
non-living environment.
The living components of the ecosystem are called biotic
factors, which include plants, fish, invertebrates, and
single-celled organisms.The non-living components, or abiotic
factors, include the physical and chemical components in the
environmenttemperature, wind, water, sunlight, and oxygen.Biotic
and abiotic factors influence each other in an always changing
balance called dynamic equilibrium.Biotic and Abiotic Factors in
Ecosystems2.1VOCABULARYecologyorganismhabitatpopulationcommunityecosystembiospherebiotic
factorabiotic factordynamic equilibriumlimiting factor
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Ecological Roles and
Relationships2.2VOCABULARYnutrientsproducerautotrophphytoplanktonconsumerheterotrophherbivoresprimary
consumerzooplanktoncarnivoreomnivoredetrivoredecomposerbiodegradationpredationpredatorpreypredatorprey
cycleAn ecosystem is a complex network of interactions.All
organisms must take in water, food, and nutrients. Nutrients are
elements and compounds that organisms need to live and
grow.Organisms can be producers, consumers, herbivores, carnivores,
or decomposers in ecosystems.Eventually nutrients cycle back into
the ecosystem for the producers.
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Symbiosis2.3VOCABULARYsymbiosismutualismcommensalismparasitismhostparasite
Symbiosis refers to any close relationship between two different
species. There are three types of symbiotic relationships:
Mutualism is a relationship in which both species obtain some
benefit from the interaction.
Commensalism is an interaction in which one organism benefits
while the other is unaffected.
Parasitism occurs when one organism (the parasite) lives and
feeds on, or in, the body of another organism (the host).