DO NOW October 3rd 1) Imagine yourself in a forest and in a desert.

If you pick up a handful of soil in each place, how would the soil be different?

2) How does the soil affect the plants that grow in each place?

Learning Goals:

Identify biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem. Success Criteria: Explain how abiotic factors and biotic factors are different and how they are connected. Name specific examples of biotic and abiotic factors in a Milwaukee county park.

Every ecosystem includes both living and nonliving factors.

Discussion Question: Look at the picture of the beaver. Which things in his environment are living and which things are non-living? What do beavers do? How does it change the environment?

Remember, A means NOT (like Asymmetrical means not symmetrical)

Remember, BIO means LIFE! (like Biology)

A biotic factor is any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact. Biotic factors are living things. plants animals fungi bacteria
Discussion Question: What biotic factor do you interact with in your environment? What biotic factors does a beaver interact with?

An abiotic factor is any nonliving part of the environment. Abiotic factors include

sunlight Moisture (water, rain, clouds) temperature wind soil

Discussion Question: What abiotic factor do you interact with in your environment? What abiotic factors does a beaver interact with?

Biotic and Abiotic Factors Together Biotic and abiotic factors are interrelated. One affects the other. Example: A tree affects the amount of sunlight the soil underneath the tree receives, the range of temperatures it experiences, the humidity of the air, and even the chemical conditions of the soil. At the same time a tree is affected by the soil, the temperature, and the moisture. Mix of Both: The soil of a forest contains nonliving particles but also living particles in the form of mold and decomposing plant materials that serve as food for bacteria and fungi.

Practice:
Read pages 378 through 380 in your textbook.
Complete questions 1-5, 11, 15, and 17 first. Question 3 only the top part. We will discuss these questions in class If you get done use information from text to complete remaining questions. Finish as homework whatever you do not get done. If you do not have your textbook you can use the soft cover book pages 224 and 225. DO NOT rip the pages from the book!!!! Both handout are due tomorrow!

Practice: Read pages 378 to 380 in your textbook. Listen to the audio file of pages 378 and 380. Use the notes and the information from the text to answer the practice questions 1 trough 5, 11, 15, and 17.

5. Define approximate equilibrium in an ecosystem.

Approximate equilibrium is the balance in an ecosystem that while some species die they are replaced by other species to keep the overall number of species in an ecosystem the same. Example: When precipitation (rain) increases one plant might grow better while another struggles with more water.

15. What is the difference between a biotic and an abiotic factor?

Both are parts of an ecosystem but a biotic factor is a living thing in the environment than can reproduce and needs energy. An abiotic factor is a non-living thing in the environment.

Exit Slip
Name two examples of biotic and abiotic factors you would find in a Milwaukee county park. Be specific. Plants and animals, water and moisture are not answers.