Interpreting Our Surroundings
Every organism needs a specific place to live, called a Habitat. Within a habitat, there are two main types of components that interact with each other:
- Biotic Components: The living things. (Plants, animals, fungi, bacteria).
- Abiotic Components: The non-living things. (Air, water, soil, sunlight, temperature).
Activity: Pond vs. Forest
If you compare a pond and a forest, you will see they have different components but follow the same rules of interaction.
| Feature | Pond Habitat | Forest Habitat |
|---|---|---|
| Biotic | Fish, Frogs, Lotus, Algae, Ducks | Tigers, Deer, Trees, Birds, Insects |
| Abiotic | Water, Dissolved Oxygen, Mud | Soil, Wind, Sunlight, Rocks |
Levels of Organization
Nature is organized in a hierarchy. It starts small and gets bigger.
- Individual: A single organism (e.g., one frog).
- Population: A group of the same organisms living in the same place at the same time (e.g., all the frogs in the pond).
- Community: Different populations living together (e.g., frogs + fish + lotus plants).
- Ecosystem: The community interacting with the abiotic factors (living + non-living).
Note
Did you know? A habitat can be as large as a forest or as small as the space under a rotting log. The key is that it provides the right conditions for life to survive.
Types of Ecosystems
- Terrestrial: Forests, Grasslands, Deserts.
- Aquatic: Ponds, Rivers, Oceans.
- Human-made: Aquariums, Crop fields, Gardens.