Parts of an Ecosystem
What is the human population of your town or city?
Goal:
Goal:
People are part of many ecosystems! Click through the slideshow below to learn about human populations as part of the world's ecosystems.
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All the organisms of one species that live in a given area are collectively called a population. You are an individual member in the human population of your city. There are many populations of different species in an ecosystem. For example, what populations might live in a forest? There will be populations of snakes, slugs, ants, and birds--just to name a few!
All the living things in an ecosystem are called a community. The community you live in is made up of many different types of living things: trees, dogs, cats, birds, flowers, insects, and people, just to name a few. A community is a group of living things working together in a particular place. Your neighborhood is one example of a community.
Everybody plays a part in a community. Each role is called a niche. Green plants produce food and oxygen which animals eat and breathe. You are a consumer who turns plants into energy, which powers your body and keeps it healthy. You also might clean the kitchen, water the garden, or babysit your brother or sister. These things that you do make up your niche. Food Chains How do you feel about mosquitoes? Many people think the world would be a better place if there were no mosquitoes. but they actually have a very important niche in the community. They are food for many creatures, including birds, bats, frogs, and fish. They exist in great numbers in the spring, when these animals need lots of energy to grow and reproduce. Every animal plays an important role in the many different food chains that make up the web of life in the ecosystem where they live.
Habitats Every living thing has a place where it lives, eats, sleeps, and does its job. This place is called its habitat. A habitat is an animal's home. Woodpeckers need hollow trees to nest, lay eggs, and nurture their young. They also need water and insects to eat. It can't be too hot or too cold where they live, or they won't survive. All of these factors are part of the woodpeckers' habitat.
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Population
Community
Niches
