Summary#1 *Living Things and Their Environment*

An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things in an area interacting with each other. Most ecosystems are much larger than a jar. Some, like the prairie ecosystem of North America, the deserts of Africa, and the rain forests of Brazil, cover large areas of a country or continent. Freshwater ecosystem cover less space than saltwater ecosystems. Saltwater ecosystems can cover entire oceans. It doesn´t matter where they are or what they look like, all ecosystems have the same parts. All living things need certain nonliving things in order to survive. Abiotic factors include water, minerals, sunlight, air, climate, and soil. All organisms need water. Living things need minerals, such as calcium, iron, phosphorous, and nitrogen. Some living things, like plants and algae, need sunlight to make food. Animals need oxygen to produce the energy for their bodies. Plants an algae need carbon dioxide. The environment must also have the right temperature for organisms to survive. Eac kind of organism, whether an animal, plant, fungus, protist, or bacterium, is a member of a single species. All the organisms of a species living in the same area make up a population. Each species in an ecosystem also has a role or place in the activities of its community.The world is a place of changes. One day the wheater may be dry and cold. The next day it may be wet and warm. In nature ecosystem tend to stay in balance. One population controls the number in another population. Communities help preserve and enrich the soil. Some organisms contribute to the health and well-being of others.