Name _____________________________ Number ...



Name _____________________________ Number _______________ Date _________

BrainPop: “Ecosystems, Environment, Problems I”

Ecosystems:

1. List three non-living or abiotic things in an ecosystem.

2. The sum of the living parts (biotic) of a community is known as a(n)

______________________.

3. What is another name for an organism’s home? ____________________

(By the way, what is the name of an organism’s role or job? ________________)

4. Fill in the blanks (not in video) with the correct term:

Organism, _____________, community, ___________, biome, _______________

When two ecosystems meet an “edge” environment is created called an ecotone (or the edge effect). Think of the ocean meeting land. The area between permanent land and the ocean is the beach. The beach is the ecotone. A “jungle” is actually the ecotone between rainforest and river.

Water Cycle:

1. What is the sum total of all water on the biosphere known as Earth? ____________

2. What “powers” the water cycle? ______________________

3. What is the name of the term given the change of liquid water to water vapor?

_______________________

4. Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are collectively called _________________.

5. What reservoir in the water cycle contains the most water? _________________

Food Chains:

1. What celestial body plays a key role in photosynthesis? __________________

2. What do you call an animal that eats both plants and animals? _______________

3. What two groups are often considered decomposers?

__________________________ and _____________________

4. What role do humans play in the food web? ________________________

5. What makes up the largest part of every food chain? __________________

6. Give a two simple food chains, and link them in a food web. Label producers, consumers, and if possible a decomposer.

Humans and the Environment:

1. Give an example of a non-renewable resource: _________________, and a renewable resource: __________________.

2. What is meant by the term “unchecked” as in unchecked growth mean?

3. Give one thing that is “bad” about having so much garbage in landfills.

Population Growth:

1. Carrying capacity refers to the ability of the earth to have enough resources to sustain its living organisms. What might happen if the earth’s carrying capacity is exceeded?

2. How does cutting down forests affect animal populations?

3. Before 1800, the infant mortality rate was much higher than it is now. What does that mean?

4. If world population keeps growing at its current rate, how many people might be alive in ten years?

_________________ billion

5. Why are solar and wind power considered alternative energy sources?

6. Why would advances in medicine lead to population growth?

7. Give one word that describes the current rate of world population growth.

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A very important concept in ecology/biology is ecological succession (usually just said succession). Succession means the change in the species or types of living organisms over time. There are two types of succession: primary and secondary. Primary succession occurs when an area starts from bare rock such as after a volcanic eruption or a very, very sever fire. First rock, then lichen (alga/bacteria and fungi), then grasses, followed by bushes, trees, etc. Secondary succession does not start from bare rock. If I stopped cutting the grass in my yard, the yard would change. First the grass and weeds would grow, then small bushes, followed by trees. The final community of organisms that form after either type of succession is called the “climax forest” or “climax community (because not all ecosystems form forests…” In the Atlanta area the climax community is an oak/hickory forest. In other words, if you left an area alone the final community would be made of oak and hickory trees. In succession, it is not only the plants that “succeed” over time – all organism change – animals, fungi, bacteria, and protists. It is just easiest to see the plants – they are big and they don’t move…

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