Professional Documents
Culture Documents
3- Scientific understandings of
outdoor environments
Part 1: The structure of natural systems
Recap:
2.1.1- Characteristics of outdoor environments
Geology
Climate The type of environmental ‘biome’ that exists in a specific
location is a result of the interaction between these three factors
Position and aspect
Biotic: are the living components of the ecosystem- the trees, animals, fungi and
bacteria.
Abiotic: are the non-living components of the ecosystem- the sun, water, rocks and
minerals.
Producers occur at the first level. They use sunlight to produce chemical energy
through photosynthesis. This is referred to as the first trophic level.
Producers
Some of this energy is utilised by producers in their growth. It can also be stored
in organic matter and utilised as the organism grows.
Primary Herbivores are referred to as the second trophic level. They rely solely on
Consumers producers for their energy requirements.
Secondary
Carnivores and Omnivores occupy the third trophic level.
Consumers
Tertiary
Top order carnivores occupy the forth trophic level.
Consumers
Detritus and decaying organic matter (stuff that was once living) still contains
Decomposers energy and nutrients which are returned to the ecosystem they are in by
decomposers. Algae, bacteria and fungi are typical decomposer organisms.
A food chain is a simplified, step by step example of how energy transfers from one organism
to the next.
A food web shows the complex way energy is transferred through a number of interlinked
chains from the one ecosystem.
Learning Task:
▪ Working in groups (3-4 people), construct an appropriate food web using the following organisms. Write
these organisms down- you must include all 15!
• Dingo • Wombat • Wedge-tail eagle
• Kookaburra • Frilled neck lizard • Gumtree
• Echidna • Grass • Emu
• Wattle • Blue faced honey eater • Crickets
• Kangaroo • Termites • Magpie