F LO RA A N D FA U N A
FOREST ECOSYSTEM
WHAT?
• An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
• A forest ecosystem is a terrestrial unit of living organisms (plants, animals and microorganisms), all interacting among themselves and with the environment (soil, climate, water and light) in which they live.
A FOREST:
FACTORS OF AN ECOSYSTEM
ABIOTIC FACTORS BIOTIC FACTORS
Sun: Provides light for photosynthesis
Producers: Plants that are a source of food and/or O2
Soil: Provides minerals and nutrients for plants(producers) to grow.
Primary Consumers: Herbivores that feed on producers
Water: Helps in Photosynthesis, hydration of flora and fauna, maintains optimum climate
Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that feed on primary consumers and/ or other secondary consumers
Air: Provides CO2 for photosynthesis and O2 for respiration
Decomposers: Organisms that decompose dead matter and supply minerals and other substances for the improvement to the soil
FOOD WEB
• Within a food web there are ‘predators’, that is, animals that hunt and prey on smaller animals for a source of food. In a food chain, the transfer of energy begins with the producer and ends with the highest order consumer, as follows:
• tree → insect → mouse → owl → eagle • However, in a food web the interaction between
organisms becomes more complex.
FOR EXAMPLE:
TYPES OF FORESTS
Deciduous Forests Tropical Rainforests
Coastal Forests Coniferous Forests
FAUNA AND WILDLIFE
CATEGORY DECIDUOUS FOREST
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
COASTAL FOREST
CONIFEROUS FOREST
Primary Consumers:
Rodents, Squirrels, Insects, Birds, Deer
Insects, Slugs, Humming Birds, Squirrels, Deer
Deer, Rabbits, Squirrel, Birds, Insects
Moose, Elks, Birds, Insects, Small Rodents,
Secondary Consumers:
Possums, Raccoons, Snakes, Foxes
Frogs, Birds, Rodents, Spiders,
Rodents, Raccoons, Spiders
Birds, Skunks, Owls, Weasels, Foxes
Tertiary Consumers:
Cougars, Bears
Hawks, Owls, Foxes, Jackals, Tigers
Eagles, Owls, Tigers
Wolves, Lynx, Bears
THANK YOU
DECIDUOUS FORESTS
• Trees here have large, flat leaves that drop off in the fall and new leaves grow in spring
• Leaves change colour with the seasons• These grow in places with hot, wet summers and cool,
dry winters.
A GLIMPSE…
TROPICAL RAINFOREST
• These trees grow in places that are hot and wet all year.
• Trees are very tall and leaves are always green• The forest has three layers: canopy, understory, forest
floor.
SNEAK PEEK…
COASTAL FORESTS
• Grows in places where there is lots of rain.• Temperature is not too hot or too cold, just cool.• Has three layers: canopy, understory, forest floor
A GLANCE…
CONIFEROUS FOREST
• Grows in places with very cold winters and cool summers
• The leaves look like needles so they don’t need much water
• Seeds grow in cones• Get less rain than all the other forests
A VISUAL…
