Objectives for Communities and Ecosystems

Objectives for Communities and Ecosystems:

_______CE 1. Define species, habitat, population, community, ecosystem and ecology.

_______CE 2. Distinguish between autotroph and heterotroph.

_______CE 3. Distinguish between consumers, detritivores and saprotrophs.

_______CE 4. Describe what is meant by a food chain, giving three examples, each with at least three linkages (four organisms).

_______CE 5. Describe what is meant by a food web.

_______CE 6. Define trophic level.

_______CE 7. Deduce the trophic level of organisms in a food chain and a food web.

_______CE 8. Construct a food web containing up to 10 organisms, using appropriate information.

_______CE 9. State that light is the initial energy source for almost all communities.

 _______CE 10. Explain the energy flow in a food chain.

_______CE 11. State that energy transformations are never 100% efficient.

_______CE 12. Explain reasons for the shape of pyramids of energy.

_______CE 13. Explain that energy enters and leaves ecosystems, but nutrients must be recycled.

 _______CE 14. State that saprotrophic bacteria and fungi (decomposers) recycle nutrients.

 _______CE 15.  Distinguish between primary and secondary succession and give an example of each type of succession.

_______CE 16. Explain the effects of living organisms on the abiotic environment with reference to the changes occurring during ecological succession to climax communities.