Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date:

__________

1.2.1: Energy Flow within Eco-systems

By the end of this session learners will be able to:

1. List five biotic and five abiotic factors. 2. Explain the terms biotic and abiotic.

3. Correctly construct and label a food chain.

Programme Share objectives for the session Terminology Biotic and Abiotic factors Energy Flow Food Chains Summary and evaluation

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Introduction In order to understand the theory of energy flow within ecosystems, we must first understand the terminology. Spend a couple of minutes discussing with the person next to you, what you think an ecosystem and energy flow is. You can make some notes in the space below:

Discuss your thoughts as a group.

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Biotic and Abiotic Factors

In the diagram above, you can see a number of living and non-living components. Within a city, you will find people (living components) and buildings (non-living components). An ecosystem works in exactly the same way. The components within the ecosystem, can be split into two groups: Biotic and Abiotic Biotic = Living (plants and animals) components Abiotic = Non-living, climatic (weather etc) components

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Activity 1: Biotic or Abiotic Look at the community components in the table. Decide whether they are biotic or abiotic factors: Ecosystem Component Bird Wind Sunlight Bacteria Tree Temperature Fungi Soil Insects Nutrients Parasites Larvae Altitude Biotic or Abiotic

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Energy Flow ENERGY FLOW is the way in which energy is passed through an ecosystem from one living organism to the next. .. 1. It starts with a number of ABIOTIC factors that help plants to grow. One of the most important abiotic factors is _____________________. 2. Plants capture the sunlights energy through ____________________, (the process used by plants to convert heat energy from the sun into organic compounds such as glucose). These compounds allow the plants to grow. 3. In turn, animals draw energy from eating the plants. These animals are then eaten by other animals. In this way, energy is passed through the ecosystem. 4. Animals use this energy is for processes such as ________________, ______________________ and ____________________________.

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Activity 2: Energy Flow in the ecosystem Number each of the sentences below to identify the stages of energy flow through a garden ecosystem:

The pet cat hunts birds in the garden.

Caterpillars munch leaves on the tree.

Tree photosynthesises and grows.

Blackbird forages for small insects.

The sun shines

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Food Chains In activity 2, you constructed a very simple FOOD CHAIN. A FOOD CHAIN consists of a series of organisms in which the first organism is eaten by a second and the second is eaten by a third. During this process, energy is transferred FROM the eaten organism TO the organism that eats it. Here is an example of a simple food chain. A simple Food Chain

sun

grass

rabbit

snake

hawk

In order to be able to construct and label a food chain we need to understand the rules of the food chain game The Rules THE SUN is at the START of every food chain ARROWS link the chain together. The arrow points in the direction that the energy is being passed along the chain. PRODUCER These are plant organisms that produce energy through photosynthesis. CONSUMER An organism that gets its energy by consuming another organism. HERBIVORE A consumer that only eats plants. OMNIVORE A consumer that eats plants and animals. CARNIVORE A consumer that eats other animals.

Activity 3: The Chain Each person takes a piece of card. Following the food chain rules on page 6 and the SmartBoard, arrange yourselves at the front of the room to create a correctly ordered and labelled food chain. GOOD LUCK!!! 7

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Summary and Evaluation

All of the living organisms within an ecosystem ( BIOTIC / ABIOTIC), depend

upon a number of non-living processes ( BIOTIC / ABIOTIC) for survival.

Which ABIOTIC factor starts all food chains?

______________________________________________________________

List three BIOTIC factors

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

List three ABIOTIC factors

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
8

Unit 2-Understanding the principles of Wildlife Populations, Ecology and Conservation Outcome: __________ Session number: __________ Date: __________

Label this food chain with the following words: PRODUCER, CONSUMER, HERBIVORE, CARNIVORE and draw in the arrows.

You can use this page to write any notes on the subjects we have covered