F LO RA A N D FA U N A

FOREST ECOSYSTEM

WHAT?

• An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

• A forest ecosystem is a terrestrial unit of living organisms (plants, animals and microorganisms), all interacting among themselves and with the environment (soil, climate, water and light) in which they live.

A FOREST:

FACTORS OF AN ECOSYSTEM

ABIOTIC FACTORS BIOTIC FACTORS

Sun: Provides light for photosynthesis

Producers: Plants that are a source of food and/or O2

Soil: Provides minerals and nutrients for plants(producers) to grow.

Primary Consumers: Herbivores that feed on producers

Water: Helps in Photosynthesis, hydration of flora and fauna, maintains optimum climate

Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that feed on primary consumers and/ or other secondary consumers

Air: Provides CO2 for photosynthesis and O2 for respiration

Decomposers: Organisms that decompose dead matter and supply minerals and other substances for the improvement to the soil

FOOD WEB

• Within a food web there are ‘predators’, that is, animals that hunt and prey on smaller animals for a source of food. In a food chain, the transfer of energy begins with the producer and ends with the highest order consumer, as follows:

• tree → insect → mouse → owl → eagle • However, in a food web the interaction between

organisms becomes more complex.

FOR EXAMPLE:

TYPES OF FORESTS

Deciduous Forests Tropical Rainforests

Coastal Forests Coniferous Forests

FAUNA AND WILDLIFE

CATEGORY DECIDUOUS FOREST

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

COASTAL FOREST

CONIFEROUS FOREST

Primary Consumers:

Rodents, Squirrels, Insects, Birds, Deer

Insects, Slugs, Humming Birds, Squirrels, Deer

Deer, Rabbits, Squirrel, Birds, Insects

Moose, Elks, Birds, Insects, Small Rodents,

Secondary Consumers:

Possums, Raccoons, Snakes, Foxes

Frogs, Birds, Rodents, Spiders,

Rodents, Raccoons, Spiders

Birds, Skunks, Owls, Weasels, Foxes

Tertiary Consumers:

Cougars, Bears

Hawks, Owls, Foxes, Jackals, Tigers

Eagles, Owls, Tigers

Wolves, Lynx, Bears

THANK YOU

DECIDUOUS FORESTS

• Trees here have large, flat leaves that drop off in the fall and new leaves grow in spring

• Leaves change colour with the seasons• These grow in places with hot, wet summers and cool,

dry winters.

A GLIMPSE…

TROPICAL RAINFOREST

• These trees grow in places that are hot and wet all year.

• Trees are very tall and leaves are always green• The forest has three layers: canopy, understory, forest

floor.

SNEAK PEEK…

COASTAL FORESTS

• Grows in places where there is lots of rain.• Temperature is not too hot or too cold, just cool.• Has three layers: canopy, understory, forest floor

A GLANCE…

CONIFEROUS FOREST

• Grows in places with very cold winters and cool summers

• The leaves look like needles so they don’t need much water

• Seeds grow in cones• Get less rain than all the other forests

A VISUAL…