Unit Summary 

Biodiversity contributes to the sustainability of ecosystems. Biomes, ecosystems, and microhabitats all have distinguishing characteristics that allow organisms with specific adaptations to survive in those environments. All ecosystems on Earth are dependent upon the flow of energy and the cycling of matter. Energy needed to cycle matter through Earth's systems comes from the sun and is distributed through food webs and decaying matter.

Essential Questions

  • How is energy transferred from the sun throughout an ecosystem?
  • How are organisms in a food web dependent on one-another?
  • How does biodiversity help sustain an ecosystem?
  • How do different environments support different organisms?
  • Why is photosynthesis necessary for life on Earth?
  • How is the flow of energy changed if an organism is removed from a food chain or energy pyramid?
  • How is the biodiversity of an ecosystem affected if an organism is removed from the food web?
  • How is matter cycled through living systems?
  • How do organic compounds flow through a food chain?

Resources given in class

http://www.sophia.org
https://katyisd.instructure.com/login/ldap

Vocabulary

biomass                                food web
decay                                    food chain
photosynthesis                    variety
compost bin                         sustainabilty
energy pyramid                   ecosystem
radiant energy                     autotroph/heterotroph
biome                                   carnivore/herbivore/omnivore
producer/consumer

On-line Resources

Ducksters-
http://www.ducksters.com/science/ecosystems/food_chain_and_web.php
Discover Kids-
http://www.kidsdiscover.com/spotlight/ecosystems/
Sheppard's Software-
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/producersconsumers.htm