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Year 8 Biology Ecosystems

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and non-living elements that interact in a specific environment. Key components include biotic factors (producers, consumers, decomposers) and abiotic factors (sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air). Human activities can negatively or positively impact ecosystems, highlighting the importance of conservation and biodiversity.

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384 views5 pages

Year 8 Biology Ecosystems

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and non-living elements that interact in a specific environment. Key components include biotic factors (producers, consumers, decomposers) and abiotic factors (sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air). Human activities can negatively or positively impact ecosystems, highlighting the importance of conservation and biodiversity.

Uploaded by

prabhikaur711
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Year 8 Biology: Ecosystems

🌍 What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms
(plants, animals, and microbes) that live together with
non-living things (like air, water, and soil) in a particular
environment.
Everything in an ecosystem is interconnected. If one
part is affected, it can affect the whole system.

🐾 Key Parts of an Ecosystem


1. Biotic (Living) Factors:
These are the living things in an ecosystem:
 Plants – producers
 Animals – consumers
 Decomposers – fungi and bacteria
2. Abiotic (Non-Living) Factors:
These are the physical parts of the environment:
 Sunlight
 Temperature
 Water
 Soil
 Air

🌱 Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers


Term Description Example
Makes its own food Grass, algae,
Producer
through photosynthesis trees
Eats other organisms for Lion, rabbit,
Consumer
energy eagle
Breaks down dead Fungi, bacteria,
Decomposer
organisms earthworms

🔁 Food Chains and Webs


Food Chain
A sequence that shows who eats whom in an
ecosystem.
Example:
Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk
Food Web
Many food chains linked together. It shows how
animals eat more than one thing.

🌿 Energy Flow
Energy flows from:
1. Sun → 2. Producers → 3. Consumers → 4.
Decomposers
Only about 10% of energy is passed on at each step.
The rest is used for life processes or lost as heat.

🧱 Pyramids of Numbers and Biomass


 Pyramid of Numbers: Shows the number of
organisms at each level of a food chain.
 Pyramid of Biomass: Shows the total mass of
organisms at each level.

🦅 Habitats and Niches


 A habitat is where an organism lives.
 A niche is the role the organism plays in the
ecosystem (what it eats, where it lives, and how it
behaves).

Ecosystem Examples
Ecosystem
Description Example
Type
Many trees and Amazon
Forest
animals Rainforest
Desert Hot, dry, few plants Sahara Desert
Ecosystem
Description Example
Type
Freshwater Rivers, lakes, ponds Lake Victoria
Marine Oceans and seas Coral reefs
Grassland Flat land with grasses African savannas

🧬 Human Impact on Ecosystems


Humans can affect ecosystems in good and bad ways:
Negative Impacts:
 Deforestation
 Pollution
 Overfishing
 Climate change
Positive Actions:
 Conservation
 Recycling
 Reforestation
 Protecting endangered species

📚 Keywords to Remember
 Ecosystem
 Biotic / Abiotic
 Producer / Consumer / Decomposer
 Food Chain / Food Web
 Habitat / Niche
 Pyramid of Numbers
 Biodiversity

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