Activity 2.3 – Biosphere and Interconnections

 

The food chain shows how energy flows through an ecosystem by connecting producers to consumers. Energy

moves up the chain as each organism eats another, but some energy is lost at each level, which is why the

arrows represent what is taking over.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in an ecosystem, including the range of species, genetic differences, and the ecosystem itself. It ensures ecosystem resilience, supports food chains, and provides resources like medicine and clean air. High biodiversity helps ecosystems recover from disturbances and maintain balance, making them more sustainable and productive.

Biomes are large regions defined by climate and specific plants and animals, like deserts or forests. Ecozones are bigger areas that include multiple biomes, shaped by geographic barriers. They help us understand how life is distributed and interacts with the environment.

Concept maps are visual tools that help us understand how different ideas and topics are related. The concept map on biodiversity shows the variety of life forms within an ecosystem. This connects to how different species interact within their environment, forming food chains and webs. For example, plants that are producers are eaten by herbivores which are primary consumers, which are then eaten by carnivores then tertiary consumers. Decomposers break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients back into the soil for plants to use. This cycle maintains the balance and health of the ecosystem. Biomes are large areas with similar climates, plants, and animals, like deserts, forests, and tundras These biomes are part of larger ecozones, which are defined by geographic barriers like mountains or oceans. the concept map shows how different biomes fit within ecozones and how the climate and geography influence the types of life found in each biome. Energy flow in an ecosystem is often depicted as a pyramid, with the most energy at the base and the least at the top. A concept map would show how energy moves from the sun to plants, then to herbivores, carnivores, and finally decomposers. Nutrient cycles, like the carbon and nitrogen cycles, are also interconnected with these energy flows, showing how elements move through the ecosystem.