Ecosystems and Communities

Ecological Organization

When ecologists examine the relationships between organisms, as well as how organisms interact with their environments, they do so on several different levels. These levels range from the individual organism to larger, regional biomes. In this interactivity, click on the different levels of ecological organization to learn more about each. Click the player button to begin.

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Biomes on Earth

Earth has six major biomes that support life on the planet. These biomes play a role in supporting the ecosystems and populations they contain. Click on each of the bars in this interactivity to learn facts about each biome. Click the player button to begin.

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Size of Ecosystems

It is easy to imagine that ecosystems are large areas full of diverse plant and animal species, but ecosystems can range in size. One example of an ecosystem is the African grassland ecosystem used as an example in the interactivity above. Examples of other large-scale ecosystems are found in forests and oceans. Other examples of tiny ecosystems are little ponds, puddles, tree trunks, and even the nutrient-rich soil that can be found under a rock. An ecosystem includes populations of organisms together with non-living resources, like water, soil, and the climate.

Symbiotic Relationships

Within ecosystems, organisms develop relationships in order to improve their chances of survival. Symbiotic relationships are close and long-term relationships between two species in an ecosystem. There are three main symbiotic relationships: commensalism, parasitism, and mutualism. In this interactivity, click on each of the different icons to learn more about these symbiotic relationships. Click the player button to begin.

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Ecosystems and Communities Review

Now that you have explored ecological organization and symbiosis, review your knowledge in this non-graded activity. Read each question and select the correct answer or answers and click SUBMIT to check your response. Click the player button to get started.