What copfitions make lite C) pests Sa ane a Seen es ceva erencesSetting the stage for life @ GLOSSARY Nhat is deflect: to cause something to change direction or orientation harmful: causing damage or injury to sometody/something. especially to 2 person's health or to the envizonment Living things ere mostly made up of four main elements: carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. These elements make up a material known as organic matter. Living things also interchenge substences with their environment (nutrition), they react to stimuli (interaction) and can make organisms like themselves (reproduction). There are certain conditions on our planet that make life possible. ‘A magnetic field ] This field deflects cosmic rays and solar BD) winds, and stops them reaching the Earth's surface. Liquid water Water is an excellent solvent and temperature regulator. Living things need water to ccarty out chemical reactions and photosynthesis. protective atmosphere The stratospheric ozone (0, made up of three onygen atoms, absorbs part ofthe harraful ultraviolet solar radiation. a 3 ae ‘An energy source The Sun provides light energy that producers (autotrophs) store as organic maiter through photosynthesis. The heat ‘energy from the Sun not only powers the water cycle on Farth but also allows Vital activities that require temperatures above 0°C to take place. Carbon compounds Carbon dioxide (CO,) is a vital gas for life. 1 is mainly foune in the ai, but is also present in water. This gas and water are the main components required for photosynthesiAbiotic factors Abiotic factors are the environmental and physical conditions that influence where organisms can live. These include temperature, the quantity of tight and rainfall, the landscape, the type of rocks and soil, the availability of weter and the amount of dissolved substances in the water. Abiotic factors are not equally distributed across the Earth’s surface. ‘Light and thermal energy depend upon latitude: they decrease from the Equator to the poles. Under water they decrease with depth. '» The quantity of water depends upon rainfall, which varies accordingto latitude, distance from the sea an¢ altitude. These conditions change globally with the seasons and locally. depending on tand ‘elief:temperature decreases with altitude and topography modifies precipitation. Let's taterpret ‘Temperature bands Thic map shows the average annual temperatures fon the Earth's surface. 9) Which latitudes receive more thermal energy from the Sun? ) Compare the temperature in Arica and the Atlantic Ocean at the same latitude. Ave thay the: same? ©) At the Equator, evaperation is greater because it 's the zone with the greatest amount of sunshine. Does ths affect temperature? > Biotope A biotope is the non-living part of an environment that includes all of the abiotic factors. 4. Listen to a father helping his P(1) daughter revise for atest. ) How does the gir explain —— Temperature: 20°C inthe air and 15°C in the wate. hate eieatls 1) What example does she give ‘of water asa solvent in our bois? ©), What other important factors for life on Earth are not mentioned here? Precipitation: water droplets. Molecules: 0,,N,,CO,H,0, etc. 2. Give examples to demonstrate that the Sun is essential for living things. ‘3. Rolief dotermines th distribution of organisms. Give an example to demonstrate this.i? Living things in the environment @ Oo Biotic factors ‘The living things within an environment and the interactions between them are known 2s biotic factors. The characteristics of the biotope determine the living things that live there, but these also have an influence upcn their environment. For exemple, the quantity of light and the air temperature are lower inside @ forest than outside it. There is, therefore, an interaction between abiotic and biotic factors. > Biocenosis Biocenosis refers to the group of all ving things from every species that live within a defined area (biotope). This area has all the necessary environmental ‘conditions that provide a place forthe living things to survive. What is an ecosystem? ‘An ecosystem is 2 natural environment (biotope) irhabited by a group of living ‘things (biocenosis) which interact with each other and their surroundings. —_— fe et “\ tee Bictopo f- Bioconosic> The role of living things in an ecosystem We classy living things into trophic levels according to how they obtain materials, and energy: producers, consumers or decomposers. Consumers: These living things feed on organic substances alieady produced. ~ Primary. They feed on producers. ~ Secondary. They feed on primary ~ Tertiary. They are predators that feed ‘on other secondary consumers, sunt Organic matter Producers: Plants, algae and some bacteria change the light energy from the Sun into organic matter through photosynth pe enek teacher taking to a student. 2 ‘many can you remember? 1) Lock at the diagram andl say which twa trophic level are ‘not mentioned. 5. Inthe picture of the ecosystem on the opposite page, ‘which living things are producers, which ere consumers and which are decomposers? 6. Givean example of how living things can change their environment Mineral salts )) Sixanimals and thoi trophic levels are mentionod. How Remains of living things Decomposers: invertebrates, fungi and some bacteria feed on organic material left by other living things (leaves, excrement or dead living things), ané transform these into inorganic elements which are later used again by producers. 7. Refer to the illustration on this page to answer the following questions: 2) Why Fs light essential for ie? 1) What does a living thing obtain when it feeds off another Living thing? ©) What would happen in an ecosystem ifthere were no decomposers? emSaviadigital.com [UNDERSTAND How ore the elements of an ecosystem related?