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📚 Topic Summary
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals, and microbes) interacting with each other and their physical environment (soil, water, air). These interactions create a complex web of relationships where energy and nutrients are constantly exchanged. Ecosystems can be as small as a puddle or as large as an ocean, and understanding how they function is crucial for environmental science because it helps us manage and protect our natural resources.
🌱 Part A: Vocabulary
Match the following terms with their correct definitions:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Producer | A. An organism that obtains energy by feeding on other organisms. |
| 2. Consumer | B. The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy. |
| 3. Decomposer | C. An organism that breaks down dead organic material. |
| 4. Photosynthesis | D. A group of interacting populations of different species in a given area. |
| 5. Community | E. An organism that produces its own food using sunlight. |
✏️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences using the words provided: Energy, Habitat, Population, Ecosystem, Biotic.
- A(n) _______ consists of all the living organisms and their physical environment.
- The place where an organism lives is called its _______.
- _______ factors are the living parts of an ecosystem.
- A group of individuals of the same species living in the same area is a(n) _______.
- _______ flows through an ecosystem from producers to consumers.
🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking
Describe one way that humans can negatively impact an ecosystem and what steps can be taken to mitigate that impact.
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