Some people were very sad when they collected their ecosystem-traps and proclaimed, "All I got was dirt!" That's not a bad thing in an ecosystem. Be happy and don't sweat the small stuff. Soil is very important to an ecosystem, it provided nutrients for plants and helps anchor the plants firmly in the soil so they don't blow away. Soil absorbs water and helps plants grow and provides a place to store water for animals, birds and insects. Dirt is good! Dirt interacts with water to provide storage places for lakes, streams, rivers, oceans, puddles and ponds. The amount of organisms that interact with water is numberless. All of life on this planet need water to function. These outdoor water "holding" stations are evaporated by energy from the Sun and the water is transported to other places where there is lots of dirt and the absorption and holding spots are filled or created. A healthy ecosystem can support A LOT of different critters. The more different types of organisms in an ecosystem the better. More diversity helps ecosystems heal quickly if a natural disaster should occur, like a flood or fire. Every species has its own home and job in the ecosystem. Some plants easily grow back after a fire, or the heat from the fire opens their seeds and the soil actually becomes more productive after a fire. Many plants can tolerate large amounts of water, a flood might help them grow stronger, fish may move in with the flood waters and decide to stay awhile. If your ecosystem-trap was empty and full of air, don't cry over spilled, soapy water! We need air to survive. All living organisms interact with air, without it we would just be Venus, or Mars...lifeless.
An ecosystem includes soil, atmosphere, heat and light from the sun, water and living organisms.
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |