Biotic components of an ecosystem

Biotic components of an ecosystem

• 1.
  Biotic Components of anEcosystem
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  Biotic components The bioticcomponent is that part of the total environment created by living, interacting organisms.
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  Ecosystem A biological community together with the abiotic environment, characterized by the flow of energy and the cycling of inorganic nutrients.
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  Living components:  Producers: Thesun which is the primary source of energy, gives energy to the plants to produce food through photosynthesis. Plants use the light, carbon dioxide, water and the green pigment chlorophyll in their leaves to produce sugars and oxygen. These plants that produce food through photosynthesis are called producers. They are autotrophic organisms because they can manufacture their own food.
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  Consumers: Animals are consumersbecause they are, directly/indirectly dependent on the food produced by the producers (plants), they consume this food. Consumers therefore have a heterotrophic feeding method – they cannot make their own food and are dependent on the producers for nutrition.
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  Decomposers: Decomposers are micro-organismsthat break down complex organic matter into simple inorganic matter. They obtain their energy for the decaying animals and plants. They are heterotrophic animals. We refer to them as saprophytic organisms. They include fungi and bacteria.
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  Food chains The interactionof the autotrophic and heterotrophic components in which one organism consumes another, is called a food chain. In a food chain there is a continuous flow of energy from the sun, through the plants to the various animals. In a food chain there are always a producer and a consumer.
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  Example:
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  Food web Consists ofvarious food chains that interact with one another, therefore, interacting of energy flow within an ecosystem
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  Example:
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  Try answer thesequestions to test your knowledge:  What is a biotic component?  Give the definition of an ecosystem.  What components form part of an ecosystem?  Briefly describe each of these components.  What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?  Draw an example of each.(It must be your own design).