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Slide 2 / 89 5th Grade Ecosystem Dynamics 2015-11-02 www.njctl.org
Slide 3 / 89 Table of Contents: Ecosystem Dynamics Click on the topic to go to that section Food Webs Decomposers Cycles of Matter Maintaining an Ecosystem
Slide 4 / 89 Food Webs Return to Table of Contents
Slide 5 / 89 The Energy of Plants In the last unit, we discussed how plants get their energy and made their own food. 1) What is the name of this process? 2) What is required for this reaction to happen? 3) What is produced? Photosynthesis Water, Carbon Dioxide and Sunlight are required. 1 2 3 Oxygen and Sugar ("Glucose") are produced.
Slide 6 / 89 The Energy of Plants Once plants get the energy from the sun, to whom does that energy transfer next? And then?? What animals could fill in these question marks??
Slide 7 / 89 Food Webs The energy from the Sun that is turned into food by plants is the basis for most food webs. A food web is a visual that shows you "what-eats-what" in a given ecosystem, or environment. A food web shows you the relationship between all living things in an ecosystem. Food webs can include animals, plants, fungi and bacteria.
Slide 8 / 89 Food Webs Notice that at the bottom of this food web, you can find the plants (kiwi fruit, almonds and the leaves of trees). These organisms all produce their own food through photosynthesis.
Slide 9 / 89 Food Webs As you move up the food web, you see that we have numerous animals (squirrels, deer, mice and hawks). These organisms cannot make their own food. They have to consume food from elsewhere to get their energy.
Slide 10 / 89 1 A shows you the relationship between all living things in an ecosystem. A food web B food chain
Slide 10 (Answer) / 89 1 A shows you the relationship between all living things in an ecosystem. A food web B food chain Answer A [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 11 / 89 2 The energy in all food webs comes from. A plants B the sun C Earth D water
Slide 11 (Answer) / 89 2 The energy in all food webs comes from. A plants B the sun C Earth D water Answer B [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 12 / 89 3 The name of the process by which plants get energy from the sun is. A energy transfer B basking C photosynthesis D sun fixation
Slide 12 (Answer) / 89 3 The name of the process by which plants get energy from the sun is. A energy transfer B basking C photosynthesis Answer C D sun fixation [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 13 / 89 Producers There are three different groups of organisms that play a role in each ecosystem. Organisms that can "produce" their own food are called producers. Producers
Slide 14 / 89 Consumers As you travel up the food web, you will find organisms that cannot produce their own food and have to eat (or "consume") other living things. These organisms are called consumers. Consumers Producers
Slide 15 / 89 Levels of Consumers Within the "consumer" group, organisms can be classified even further based on what they eat. We will focus on two levels: Primary Consumers are consumers that eat only plants. They are the 1st level of consumers (the term "primary" means "1st"). What do we call animals that eat only plants?
Slide 16 / 89 Levels of Consumers Animals that eat only plants are called "herbivores." (Think: "In the garden, we grow herbs.")
Slide 17 / 89 Levels of Consumers Secondary Consumers are consumers that eat only other animals. They are the 2nd level of consumers (hence "Secondary"). What do we call animals that eat only other animals? (hint: "Carne" means "meat" in Latin.)
Slide 18 / 89 Levels of Consumers Animals that eat only other animals are called "carnivores."
Slide 19 / 89 Omnivores There are animals that actually don't only fit into either one of these two groups. Omnivores are animals that eat both plants and animal meat.
Slide 20 / 89 Humans What category do humans fit into? Talk about this with your table. Come up with and answer and be prepared to defend it.
Slide 21 / 89 Humans Humans are usually considered omnivores because we eat both meat and plants. There is one group which could be considered an exception to that rule. Who are they? This means that sometimes humans play the role of "primary consumer" and sometimes "secondary consumer." It just depends what you are eating!
Slide 22 / 89 4 An organism takes in sunlight and carbon dioxide and makes its own food. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A B C D E F Producer Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Carnivore Herbivore Omnivore
Slide 22 (Answer) / 89 4 An organism takes in sunlight and carbon dioxide and makes its own food. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A B C D E F Producer Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Carnivore Herbivore Omnivore Answer A [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 23 / 89 5 An organism hunts down a rabbit for a midday snack. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer B Primary Consumer C Secondary Consumer D Carnivore E Herbivore F Omnivore
Slide 23 (Answer) / 89 5 An organism hunts down a rabbit for a midday snack. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer B Primary Consumer Answer C Secondary Consumer C and D D Carnivore E Herbivore [This object is a pull tab] F Omnivore
Slide 24 / 89 6 An organism finds the nearest restaurant and has a big salad with chicken. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer B Primary Consumer C Secondary Consumer D Carnivore E Herbivore F Omnivore
Slide 24 (Answer) / 89 6 An organism finds the nearest restaurant and has a big salad with chicken. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer B Primary Consumer C Secondary Consumer D Carnivore E Herbivore Answer B, C and F [This object is a pull tab] F Omnivore
Slide 25 / 89 7 Another organism goes to a restaurant and orders the vegetable stir fry. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer B Primary Consumer C Secondary Consumer D Carnivore E Herbivore F Omnivore
Slide 25 (Answer) / 89 7 Another organism goes to a restaurant and orders the vegetable stir fry. Choose all of the terms that apply to this organism. A Producer Answer B Primary Consumer C Secondary Consumer B and E D Carnivore E Herbivore [This object is a pull tab] F Omnivore
Slide 26 / 89 Following the Food Web Being able to correctly read a food web is important. Notice where the organisms are always placed: The highest level of consumers at the top (in this case, a Secondary consumer)... Primary consumers below them... Producers always at the bottom.
Slide 27 / 89 Following the Food Web The arrows of the food web fill you in on "who's eating who." The arrow always points to the animal that is doing the eating. The example at the left is telling you that the lion eats the wildebeest.
Slide 28 / 89 8 Which of the following examples is correctly showing the relationship between the bird and the worm? A B
Slide 28 (Answer) / 89 8 Which of the following examples is correctly showing the relationship between the bird and the worm? A B Answer A [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 29 / 89 Activity: Build the Food Web In this activity, you will need to sort through a series of clues in order to properly put together your food web. Follow the guidelines taught in this section to help you figure out where each organism fits in the ecosystem!
Slide 30 / 89 Decomposers Return to Table of Contents
Slide 31 / 89 The Broken Down Rowboat Imagine that you leave a rowboat on a deserted island for 10 years. When you come back to your wooden row boat after all this time, you find the boat on the right. What happened to your boat over the past 10 years? How did this happen? Talk about this at your table.
Slide 32 / 89 The "Disappearing" Animal An animal dies in the wilderness and its body is left untouched. Over the course of a few weeks, you observe the following stages below: How did this animal transform into the pile of fur and bones seen on the right? What happened to it over these weeks? How?
Slide 33 / 89 Decomposition Both the boat and the animal's body went through the process of decomposition. Decomposition (which is sometimes called "rotting") is the process of breaking down a once-living object into small pieces that are usable once again. Decomposition can be carried out by bacteria, fungi, worms and other organisms.
Slide 34 / 89 The Process of Decomposition When a living organism dies, the matter (or "stuff") that it was made of begins to be naturally recycled back into Earth. If this was not the case, all of the elements and minerals that made up the object would become trapped and unusable again. Fungi and bacteria play a large role in this process.
Slide 35 / 89 9 Which of the organisms below carry out the process of decomposition? (Choose all that apply.) A Bacteria B Humans C Worms D Fungi
Slide 35 (Answer) / 89 9 Which of the organisms below carry out the process of decomposition? (Choose all that apply.) A Bacteria B Humans C Worms D Fungi Answer A, B and D [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 36 / 89 10 The point of decomposition is to stop the recycling of materials. True False
Slide 36 (Answer) / 89 10 The point of decomposition is to stop the recycling of materials. True False Answer False [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 37 / 89 Fungi Fungi is a group of organisms. They are living things, but are completely different from plants and animals. They are deeply involved with decomposition. You should be familiar with a few different types of fungi - you probably have eaten them! At your table, come up with a few examples of fungi.
Slide 38 / 89 Fungi Fungi is a group of organisms that include molds, yeasts and mushrooms. Fungi will grow on dead organisms and will use the nutrients in the object to grow larger. As the mushrooms continue to grow, they also release carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into the air and break the dead organism into nutrients that go back into the soil.
Slide 39 / 89 Bacteria Bacteria are very small objects that can only be seen using a microscope. When an organism dies, bacteria invade every inch of the object and begin eating its body tissues, such as the muscles. Most of this bacteria comes from the soil, so an object that is in contact with the ground (especially if it is buried) will decompose quicker.
Slide 40 / 89 What increases the rate of decomposition? You have certainly seen food go bad. What factors can increase the rate of decomposition? Discuss this at your table and come up with a list you can share with the class.
Slide 41 / 89 What increases the rate of decomposition? Some factors that can affect decomposition are: Temperature Oxygen Rainfall / Water Size Area where the object is resting Preservatives
Slide 42 / 89 Activity: Testing Decomposition What effect do the factors on the previous page have on the rate of decomposition? This activity will have you testing how these factors will speed up, or slow down, the decomposition of food. Click here to watch the decomposition of strawberries. Click here to watch the decomposition of a fast food meal.
Slide 43 / 89 11 Which of these situations would increase the rate of decomposition? A B C D Placing the object in a completely dry container Removing all oxygen from the container Increasing the temperature Adding preservatives
Slide 43 (Answer) / 89 11 Which of these situations would increase the rate of decomposition? A B C D Placing the object in a completely dry container Removing all oxygen from the container Answer Increasing the temperature Adding preservatives C [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 44 / 89 Activity: Compost Creation Composting is the science of combining unwanted yard waste, food scraps, and other organic materials so that it can be transformed into a nutrient-rich fertilizer. This is a way of recycling your waste so that you can improve plant-life in your area.
Slide 45 / 89 Activity: Magic School Bus Click here for The Magic School Bus activity. Follow the link above for an activity from Ms. Frizzle and her class! Can you make the craziest Leaf-Decay Contraption?
Slide 46 / 89 Cycles of Matter Return to Table of Contents
Slide 47 / 89 Review: What is Matter? At the beginning of this school year, we defined matter. What was that definition? Matter makes up everything in the universe. All objects that are both living and nonliving are made up of matter.
Slide 48 / 89 Review: The Matter of Plants In the last unit, we learned about what plants are made of. All living things, including plants and animals, are made up primarily of two things: Carbon and Water.
Slide 49 / 89 Review: The Matter of Plants Earlier, we also learned also learned about photosynthesis. Recall the process of photosynthesis. Plants take in, water, and from the sun. Plants then create sugar and.
Slide 50 / 89 The Mass of Consumers When a plant is eaten by an animal, where does this matter (in this case, the carbon and the water) go? The things you eat and drink make up the matter that is in your body.
Slide 51 / 89 Review: The Conservation of Mass The Law of the Conservation of Mass says that mass can neither be created nor destroyed. This holds true when we are talking about the parts of a food web.
Slide 52 / 89 The Conservation of Mass in a Food Web For example, the amount of matter in a producer is equal to the amount it takes in from air and water. + =
Slide 53 / 89 The Conservation of Mass in a Food Web If an animal were to eat this plant (which would make it a primary consumer), then the "stuff" that makes up the plant would become the "stuff" that makes up the animal.
Slide 54 / 89 The Conservation of Mass in a Food Web If another animal was to eat this one (which would make it a secondary consumer), then the "stuff" that makes up the first animal would become the "stuff" that makes up the second.
Slide 55 / 89 The Cycle of Matter Matter is constantly moving between the environment, plants, animals and microbes. The exchange of matter is essential to life and also continues to occur even after something dies.
Slide 56 / 89 The Ultimate Reycling Matter is constantly being transfered between organisms. However, the transfer continues even after oganisms die. What happens to matter when an organism dies? CO 2
Slide 57 / 89 Recycling Matter When organisms die, the stuff (matter) that they were made of becomes a part of Earth again. This matter is then recycled by decomposers and the cycle starts all over again!
Slide 58 / 89 Decomposition The process of decomposition eventually recycles dead material. Through this process essential nutrients are restored. What would happen to the soil if the nutrients were not returned?
Slide 59 / 89 What are Humans Made of? Like nearly all living things, humans are made mainly of Water (H 2 O) and Carbon (C). Everyone is different, but our bodies are made of the elements in approximately these percentages: 65% Oxygen (O) 18% Carbon (C) 10% Hydrogen (H) 60-75% H 2 O
Slide 60 / 89 12 All living things are made up of what two things? A B C D Energy and water Water and oxygen Carbon and oxygen Carbon and water
Slide 60 (Answer) / 89 12 All living things are made up of what two things? A B C D Energy and water Water and oxygen Carbon and oxygen Answer Carbon and water D [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 61 / 89 13 Which is true of the Law of the Conservation of Mass? A B C D Matter can neither be created nor destroyed Matter cannot change form Solid matter cannot be changed Mass is only conserved by certain organisms
Slide 61 (Answer) / 89 13 Which is true of the Law of the Conservation of Mass? A B C D Matter can neither be created nor destroyed Matter cannot change form Solid matter cannot be changed Answer Mass is only conserved by certain organisms A [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 62 / 89 14 Our bodies are primarily made up of. A B C D Bone Water Carbon Air
Slide 62 (Answer) / 89 14 Our bodies are primarily made up of. A Bone B Water C D Carbon Air Answer B [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 63 / 89 15 Which of the following statements is true. A B C D Once matter is converted into energy it is lost forever. The exchange of matter is essential to life and also continues to occur even after something dies. Matter cycles to the top of the food chain and stops there. Matter only flows between nonliving thrings, such as soil and rocks.
Slide 63 (Answer) / 89 15 Which of the following statements is true. A B C D Once matter is converted into energy it is lost forever. The exchange of matter is essential to life and also continues to occur even after B something dies. Answer Matter cycles to the top of the food chain and stops there. Matter only flows between nonliving tab] thrings, such as soil and rocks. [This object is a pull
Slide 64 / 89 Building from the Ground Up When organims die their matter is returned to the soil by way of decomposers. Without fertile soil plants would be unable to grow and produce the required amounts of food to sustain life within an ecosystem. What would happen if the soil was infertile?
Slide 65 / 89 What is Soil? Think for a minute what is soil made of? Brainstorm ideas with a partner, then click then picture to reveal the Soil is made answer. up from: Minerals Organic Matter Water Air
Slide 66 / 89 The Secret is in the Soil In general, the soil minerals provide physical support for the plants while the organic matter contains many of the nutrients essential for plant growth. But where do these substances come from?
Slide 67 / 89 16 Which of the following is not an example of the cycle of matter between the environment and organism? A B C D A bird drinking water out of a puddle. Plants aborbing nutirents from animal waste. Plants absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Water condensing in clouds to form rain.
Slide 67 (Answer) / 89 16 Which of the following is not an example of the cycle of matter between the environment and organism? A B C D A bird drinking water out of a puddle. Plants aborbing nutirents from animal waste. Plants absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Answer Water condensing in clouds to form rain. D [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 68 / 89 17 What is soil made of? A B C D Air, Water, Minerals and Organic Matter Rocks, Sand, Organic Matter and CO2 Minerals, Dust, Water and Inorganic matter Oxygen, Water, Bacteria and Mud
Slide 68 (Answer) / 89 17 What is soil made of? A B C D Air, Water, Minerals and Organic Matter Rocks, Sand, Organic Matter and CO2 Minerals, Dust, Water and Inorganic matter Oxygen, Water, Bacteria and Mud Answer A [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 69 / 89 Maintaining an Ecosystem Return to Table of Contents
Slide 70 / 89 Survival of an Ecosystem Organisms can only survive in environments in which their particular needs are met. All organisms have the same basic needs. Both you and your cat have these same needs. Label those needs on the line next to each picture. food shelter water air Click pictures to reveal answers.
Slide 71 / 89 A Healthy Ecosystem A healthy ecosystem is one in which multiple species of different types are each able to meet their needs in a relatively stable web of life. If any organism is not able to meet its basic needs, it risks dying out. This can have an effect on all other parts of the food web.
Slide 72 / 89 The Importance of Plants Plants (or any organism that can make its own food) are very important in all ecosystems. Not only do plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen for us to breathe, but they are a source of food for us and for the animals that we eat.
Slide 73 / 89 18 Which of the following is not a basic need of organisms? A B C D Food Movement Shelter Water
Slide 73 (Answer) / 89 18 Which of the following is not a basic need of organisms? A Food B Movement C D Shelter Water Answer B [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 74 / 89 A World Without Plants If you take the plants out of the food web from before, you can see that there are effects for all other organisms. What will the squirrel, deer and mouse now eat to survive? If the squirrel and mouse die out, what will the hawk eat?
Slide 75 / 89 A World Without Plants If you take the plants out of the food web from before, you can see that there are effects for all other organisms. What will the squirrel, deer and mouse now eat to survive? If the squirrel and mouse die out, what will the hawk eat?
Slide 76 / 89 19 By removing the plants from the food web, what effects will there be on the rest of the ecosystem? A B C D Plant-eating animals may die out Meat-eating animals may die out Air in the area will lack the oxygen needed for animals to survive All of the above
Slide 76 (Answer) / 89 19 By removing the plants from the food web, what effects will there be on the rest of the ecosystem? A B C Plant-eating animals may die out Meat-eating animals may die out Answer Air in the area will lack the oxygen needed for animals to survive D D All of the above [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 77 / 89 The Fragile Ecosystem "Ecosystems are very fragile." Discuss what this means at your table. Think about different things which could affect an ecosystem in a negative way.
Slide 78 / 89 The Fragile Ecosystem "Ecosystems are very fragile." They require a proper balance of all living things that can be found there or else it can "break" and there will be negative consequences for all.
Slide 79 / 89 Population Balance In the wild, there are many dangers for all living creatures. Organisms need to produce enough children (or offspring) to make up for the amount that do not survive. One female frog can lay hundreds of eggs at a time. Only a small fraction of these eggs will ever reach adulthood though! Why is this? What happens to most of the eggs?
Slide 80 / 89 Overpopulation If an organism's population becomes unbalanced, there can be negative consequences for a habitat. Use the pictures below to make a list of negative consequences to human overpopulation.
Slide 81 / 89 Overpopulation If too many children are born, we say that the habitat has become overpopulated. There are many areas of the world that are overpopulated with humans!
Slide 82 / 89 Overpopulation Overpopulation puts a strain on the resources in a region. More organisms means more competition and demand for the available food, water, land and other resources necessary for survival. What would happen in this food web if there were too many hawks?
Slide 83 / 89 20 Which of the following can be a result of overpopulation? A B C D Limited resources will be available The amount of prey for the organism will increase Other organisms will quickly adapt to the higher population All of the above
Slide 83 (Answer) / 89 20 Which of the following can be a result of overpopulation? A B C Limited resources will be available The amount of prey for the organism will increase Answer Other organisms will quickly adapt to the higher population A D All of the above [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 84 / 89 Over-Hunting The opposite of overpopulation would be if an animal was being hunted at a rate that is so high that it can not give birth to enough offspring to maintain a population balance. If not enough organisms of a certain species are able to survive, there can be drastic effects.
Slide 85 / 89 Over-Hunting If there are too many hawks hunting squirrels and mice, this will cause their population numbers to decrease. This will then affect the fruit, nuts and plants at the bottom of the food chain because they will have less predators. This will lead to a damaged ecosystem.
Slide 86 / 89 21 Which of the following would be a likely result of the loss of the squirrels and mice on the previous slide? A B C D An increase in the number of hawks An increase in the amount of fruit, nuts and plants A quick change by the hawks to eat only fruits, nuts and plants All of the above
Slide 86 (Answer) / 89 21 Which of the following would be a likely result of the loss of the squirrels and mice on the previous slide? A B C An increase in the number of hawks An increase in the amount of fruit, nuts and plants Answer A quick change by the hawks to eat only fruits, nuts and plants B D All of the above [This object is a pull tab]
Slide 87 / 89 Native Species vs Alien Species An "alien species" is not a group of creatures from outer space... An alien species is a species that is newly introduced to an area. This is the opposite of a native species, which are organisms that can naturally be found in a particular ecosystem.
Slide 88 / 89 Australian Cane Toads Australia is currently fighting an "alien species" of its own: the cane toad. The cane toad has been steadily spreading across the continent after being introduced nearly 100 years ago. Use the videos below to learn more about the cane toad and the efforts to stop their conquest of Australia. Click here to watch cane toads in their natural environment Click here to learn more about cane toads Click here to see a dirty job: cane toad hunting Click here to see a way to combat cane toads "Cane Toads: The Unnatural History"
Slide 89 / 89 Invasive Species Invasive species are alien species that invade and cause harm to ecosystems. Investigate what invasive species are found in you area.