Grade 9 Biology

Ecosystems
 AGENDA
Objectives Page Numbers
Food chains & food webs 63 & 66
Trophic levels 66
Predator-prey interactions 63
Adaptations 58-59

Ecosystems
What is ecology?
Ecology is the study of organisms and their
environments.
Ecosystems
• Each habitat has many
different species living in
it
• Many species make up a
population
• Many populations make
up a community
• Many communities make
up an ecosystem
Ecosystems
Biotic Factors
Living factors
• Producers
plants
• Consumers
herbivores, omnivores,
carnivores
• Decomposers
break down dead
material
Ecosystems

Abiotic Factors
Non-Living factors
• pH
• temperature
• humidity
• water
• soil
• light
Food Chains
A food chain shows energy transfer from one organism to
another organism in a habitat
What do the arrows show?
The arrows show energy transfer

Where does the corn get its energy

from?
The Sun (through photosynthesis)
What is wrong with this food chain?

The arrows are pointing in the wrong direction; energy is

transferred up the chain, not down it.
Food Chains
Food Chains and Food Webs
A food chain however has limitations....

more than one organism in a habitat or community could

consume the same prey and it does not display this

What is the solution?

Use a food web!
Food Webs
A food web
joins together
multiple food
chains.
It shows how
organims
compete for the
same food
Food Webs
Where does the python get its energy
from?
Rats, frogs & wolves

Where does the frog get its energy

from?
Grasshoppers, butterflies, fruit flies
& dragonflies
Food Webs

Make a food web of the image in

your notebooks.
Answer the following questions:
1. What are the producers?
2. What are the primary/secondary
consumers?
3. What are the apex predators?
Food Webs

1. What are the producers?

Grass, trees, shrubs

Food Webs

2. What are the primary/secondary

consumers?

Primary - rabbit, mouse, goat

Secondary - snake
Food Webs

3. What are the apex predators?

Eagle, mountain lion

Decomposers
They break down dead animals and plants and return
nutrients to the soil. Decomposers can be fungi, bacteria or
insects.
Video: Odyssey Earth - The Food Chain
Watch the video and try to answer these questions afterwards...

1. In order to grow & survive, what two things does every organism
need?
2. What does a simple food chain or food web show us?
3. What is the first link of the food chain? Give one example.
4. Explain what is meant by the term herbivore? Give one example.
5. What does a secondary consumer eat? Give one example.
6. Give one example of an apex predator.
Video: Odyssey Earth - The Food Chain
1. In order to grow & survive, what two things does every
organism need?
Matter & energy.

2. What does a simple food chain or food web show us?

The flow of energy and matter through a community.

3. What is the first link of the food chain? Give one example.
Producer e.g. algae
Video: Odyssey Earth - The Food Chain
4. Explain what is meant by the term herbivore? Give one example.
Only eats plants. E.g. mosquito larva.

5. What does a secondary consumer eat? Give one example.

It eats primary consumers (it can also eat plants) e.g. gambusia
(mosquito fish)

6. Give one example of an apex predator.

The American alligator.
Trophic Levels
TROPHIC
NAME DEFINITION
LEVEL
First They use sunlight to make energy
Producer
through photosynthesis
Trophic Levels
TROPHIC
NAME DEFINITION
LEVEL
Second Primary They get their energy from
Consumer producers ONLY
Trophic Levels
TROPHIC
NAME DEFINITION
LEVEL
Third Secondary They get their energy from primary
Consumer consumers (& producers)
Trophic Levels
TROPHIC
NAME DEFINITION
LEVEL
Fourth Tertiary They get their energy from primary
Consumer or secondary consumers
Trophic Levels
Each species can be
placed into a trophic
level in a food chain.

Each level holds a

different amount of
energy.

Trophic levels show us

how energy is passed
along a food chain.
Trophic Levels
Why only 10%?
The organims use energy
for respiration, growth,
reproduction, digestion &
also it's lost as heat.

When a predator eats a

consumer, most of the
energy has been used up
already.
Predator-Prey Relationships

An animal that naturally An animal that is hunted &

hunts others killed by others
e.g. eagle, tiger, shark e.g. mouse, rabbit, frog
Predator-Prey Relationships
When the number of prey increase, this
supports higher numbers of predators also.

Over time, the

populations
fluctutate up
and down
Predator-Prey Relationships

This graph shows clear

correlation between the
populations of the
predator (lynx) and their
prey (hare).
What would happen if a disease kills all the mice?
owls will decrease

grains will increase

What would happen if people hunt and kill all the rabbits?
foxes will decrease

grasses will increase

carrots will increase

What would happen if..... all the producers die because of a drought?
all species will
decrease
Adaptations
An adaptation is defined as a physical or behavioral feature of
an animal that helps them better survive in their environment.
Adaptations
Discuss in pairs....
Adaptations
A zebra is a black to regulate
animal with white body heat
stripes.
No two animals to repel disease
have the same carrying flies
pattern - they are
unique (much like to camouflage
our fingerprints). themselves
Adaptations
Discuss in small groups how humans might be adapted to
survive......
• Bipedalism - walking upright on two feet
• Opposable thumbs
• Complex brain
• Various types of teeth
• Sweating - cool down
• Shivering - warm up
• Endurance running
Adaptations
Adaptation Description Examples

Physical
physical features which sharp claws,
allow an animal to compete camouflage etc.

Behavioural
the way an animal acts: can hunting in packs,
be learned or instinctive mating rituals etc.

an internal change (cellular) poisonous,

Physiological
that helps the animal survive venomous etc.
Physical
Camouflage (physical)
Mimicry (physical)
(looking or sounding like another living organism)

The Viceroy butterfly uses mimicry to look like the Monarch butterfly.
Why would one mimic the other?

I’m the Viceroy!

Not poisonous

Poisonous

I’m the Monarch!

Physiological
Physiological
Chemical defense is one of the most widespread antipredator
strategies among living organisms:

Posionous a) If you bite it you may die

Venomous b) Very harmful
Noxious c) If it bites you, you may die
Odiferous d) Giving off an unpleasant smell
Behavioural
Instinctive Behaviors
Finding shelter
Finding food
Protection from others
Raising young
Hibernating
Migrating
Learned Behaviors
• Bears hunting for fish
• Elephants and other animals
self-medicating with certain
plants
• Dolphins performing tricks for
food
• Chimpanzees using tools to
get food
Adaptations | Polar Bear
Habitat:
The Arctic
How am I
adapted to
• cold survive
temperature here?
• ice
• water
Adaptations | Polar Bear
Adaptation Explanation
White Fur camouflage with snow
and ice.
How am I useful for hunting prey
adapted to Small Ears prevent heat loss
survive Rough soles grip the ice
here? Large Feet stop is sinking in the snow
swimming
Thick fur keep it warm
Adaptations | Cacti
Spines
Habitat: protection from predators

Desert No leaves
prevent water loss
Large stem
• very hot stores lots of water
Waxy Surface
• very dry prevents overheating
prevents water losee
• little water Roots
• predators large surface area
absorb lots of water
Adaptations | Jack Rabbit
Habitat: Large Ears
Deserts allow heat to escape
improves hearing
Grasslands Does not drink water
gets all its water from food
• very hot
Large hind legs
• very dry run away from predators
• little water up to speeds of 70km/hr
• predators
Next Week: Waves

Please bring your physics textbooks