16.1 Habitats and ecosystems . . . . . . . .167 16.2 Habitat study . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 16.3 Relationships within ecosystems . . . .171 16.4 The flow of matter and energy through ecosystems . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Why it matters
The relationships between living things are complex. By understanding these relationships we can learn more about organisms and the impact that we have on ecosystems.
16.1 Habitats and ecosystems
The place where a plant or animal lives is called its habitat. A group of plants and animals that live together in an area is called a community. The community of plants and animals and their environment is called an ecosystem. Ecology is the study of ecosystems.
Example Habitat: Rockpool Community: All the plants and animals that live in the rockpool. Ecosystem: The rocky seashore and all plants and animals that live there.
Fig. 1 A rocky seashore. 16.2 Habitat study
The pictures in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show three different habitats within Irish ecosystems. To study a habitat, we first make observations and collect information about the plants, animals and their environment. We can then investigate the different relationships within specific habitats and communities.
167
LO 5,8 Biological World strand LO 1, 4, 5 Nature of Science strand
Habitat The place where an animal or plant lives.
Community A group of plants and animals that live together.
Ecosystem A group of plants and animals and their environment.
