Living

Things

Living things

Physical

Environment

Each

Southern
pantanal

Marshland marismas de arena o

Sand dunes

Affecting conmovedor

Damage =

Made

Oceans

Lakes

Rivers

Forests,
Grasslands
endangered species

Majestic majestuoso

freshwater
deserts
bought (buy)

enlarged

under

threat

under threat

pilgrimage

there is

there are

among

same

to need

Certain

food

Chain

food chain

Benefit

interact

Wheat

falcon

Soil

climate

Saltwater

loos

Leads

leads to

Overexploitation

feed

Discover

how

Within

nowadays

Show

concern

Pond

any

Life

sparrow

Rainforest
Fields

orchards
livestock

Rainforest
Poppies

wildlife
species

Biosphere
Habitat

population
community

Oak

within

Terrain

pilmigrage

Terrain

humidity

Salinity

amount

Light

seabed

Riverbed

current

Higher

low

Levels

depth

Algae

grow

An ecosystem is made up of all the living things and the physical

environment in one place The physical environment includes soil
and climate. All the living things are dependent on each and on the
physical environment.
An ecosystem can be as small as a pond

or as large as an ocean

Forests, grasslands and deserts are terrestrial ecosystems.

Oceans, lakes and rivers are aquatic ecosystems. They can be
saltwater or freshwater.
1. Look at the photograph. Identify the living things and elements
of the physical environment in this ecosystem.

Doana is national park in southern Spain. It was declared a national

park in 1963, when the Spanish government and the World Wildlife
Fund bought land near the Guadalquivir River Delta. In 1989, this area
of protection was enlarged.
Doana has a variety of different ecosystems, including marshland
and sand dunes. It has a biodiversity that is unique in Europe. Every
year, thousands of migratory birds arrive from Europe and Africa. Two
majestic animals, now endangered species, live here : the Imperial
Eagle and the Iberian Lynx.
The marshland area is under threat from human activity.
Farmers have drained the marshland waters to irrigate their crops.
The park is used annually by thousands of people participating in the
famous pilgrimage to El Rocio.
In 1994, UNESCO declared Doana a World Heritage site.
Problems affecting ecosystems
Human activity can damage ecosystems.

** Write the relationships in ecosystems

-

Certain species eat other species. The food chain represents

these relationships.

________________________
-This is when species interact and obtain a mutual benefit
_________________
- This is when species have the same needs and compete for them.
_______________

Problems affecting ecosystems

-

Human activity can ________________ ecosystems.

Affects water, air and soil.
Causes the loss of vegetation and fertile soil.
Leads to the extinction of animals and plants.

The largest ecosystem is made up of planet Earth and all the living
things that inhabit it. This is called the biosphere
. The biosphere
includes any place on Earth where life exists.

Livin things in a ecosystem

All living things are grouped into ___________ for example, lions, tigers,
poppies, oak, trees, etc.
A ____________ is all the members of one species living in the same
ecosystem.
A ________________ is the place within an ecosystem where a
population lives.
A __________ is made up of all the populations that interact in an
ecosystem.
_____________________ in an ecosystem interact with each other.
For example, large herbivores such as zebras or buffalo, eat large
quantities of grass. Where there are large herbivores there may be
large predators, such as lions, who feed on them. Lions help prevent
overpopulation of herbivores, so consequently they do not eat up all
the grass.

Factors that influence living things in an ecosystem

These factors include

: ______________, ___________ and ___________

A physical environment can be _________________ or ______________

In terrestrial environments the most important factors are

climate, soil conditions and terrain. The type of climate depends
on various factors : temperature, humidity and the seasons (v)
(F)
In aquatic environments the most important factors are
__________ (the amount of salt in the water) the amount of
______, the water current temperature and the type of seabed or
riverbed. Freshwater ecosystems contain very low levels of salt.
Marine ecosystems contain higher levels of salt. light depends
on the depth and clarity of the water. This factor is important as
plants and algae nedd light to grow.

Relationships between the physical environment and living

things

The physical environment does not affect the type of vegetation

found in an ecosystem. (V) (F)