(ECO) Ecosystems Module Overview

Ecosystems Module Overview

Wouldn't it be great to visit every state in the United States of America? You would probably notice how quickly the weather, vegetation, and even the types of animals you see will change as you travel from one location to another. Temperature and moisture are the two main factors that determine the climate of an area. The climate of a region determines what type of animals and plants will survive in a particular biological community. Get ready to take a virtual field trip as we visit several biomes in this module.

 

Essential Questions

  • What are the major biomes found on Earth?
  • What factors determine the type of biome found in an area?
  • What do freshwater and marine ecosystems different?
  • How can the locations of biomes be described on the world map?
  • What are the characteristic animals and plants of each biome?

 

Key Terms

  1. abiotic - Nonliving
  2. biotic - Of or having to do with life or living organisms.
  3. biosphere - The part of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist or that is capable of supporting life.
  4. biodiversity - The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.
  5. carrying capacity - The maximum number of individuals that a given environment can support without detrimental effects.
  6. community - A group of plants and animals living and interacting with one another in a specific region under relatively similar environmental conditions.
  7. ecology - The science of the relationships between organisms and their environments.
  8. ecosystem - An ecological community together with its environment, functioning as a unit.
  9. extinct - No longer existing or living.
  10. limiting factor - The success of an organism is limited by the presence or absence of the factors necessary for survival.
  11. population - All the organisms that constitute a specific group or occur in a specified habitat.
  12. succession - The gradual and orderly process of ecosystem development brought about by changes in community composition and the production of a climax characteristic of a particular geographic region.

 

[CC BY 4.0] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION