Fierce Fifth Graders

Ecosystems and Biomes 

 

Ecosystem:

The living things (plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each other, and also with their non-living environments (weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere).

 

Biotic elements:

Include all of the living things in the ecosystem.

Ex. Producers, decomposers, consumers

 

Abiotic elements:

Include all the non-living elements of the ecosystem.

Ex. Weather, earth, sun, soil, climate, atmosphere

 

Producers:

Usually the first level of any food chain. They absorb some of the Sun’s light energy to make their own food by photosynthesis.

Ex. Green plants and algae.

 

Primary Consumer:

Eat the green plants. Animals in this group are usually herbivores. 

Ex: Insects, sheep, caterpillars and even cows.

 

Secondary Consumers:

Carnivores that usually eat up primary consumers (herbivore).

Ex. Lions, snakes and cats.

 

Tertiary Consumers:

Carnivores that eat up secondary consumers (carnivores).

 

Decomposers:

They break down dead or decaying matter so that they energy can be available for producers.

Ex. Mostly bacteria and