Investigating Ecosystems
Rocky Mountain National Park
Vocabulary
producers - green plants, make their own food from sunlight and CO2. First link in the food chain after the sun. Provide energy for consumers.
consumers – animals, receive energy from producers or other consumers, 2nd link in food chain.
herbivore - a consumer that eats mostly plants
carnivore - a consumer that eats mostly meat
omnivore - a consumer that eats both plants and meat
decomposers - receive energy from dead plants and animals, return nutrients to soil
examples – bacteria, fungi, mold, earthworms
food chain – connects living things in an ecosystem, passes energy on from sun to plants to animals, forms a straight line
producers - green plants, make their own food from sunlight and CO2. First link in the food chain after the sun. Provide energy for consumers.
consumers – animals, receive energy from producers or other consumers, 2nd link in food chain.
herbivore - a consumer that eats mostly plants
carnivore - a consumer that eats mostly meat
omnivore - a consumer that eats both plants and meat
decomposers - receive energy from dead plants and animals, return nutrients to soil
examples – bacteria, fungi, mold, earthworms
food chain – connects living things in an ecosystem, passes energy on from sun to plants to animals, forms a straight line
food web – overlapping food chains connected because most organisms eat more than one type of food
Interaction – something acting upon something else, interactions connect living and nonliving things in an ecosystem, living things interact with other living and nonliving things to meet their needs for food, water, shelter, space
ecosystem – a place where living things interact with other living and nonliving things to meet their needs for food, water, shelter, space
4 Needs – Food, water, shelter, space
Resources – things that meet the needs of living things
Competition - when living things near each other try to get the resources they need to survive
Adaptation - a physical or behavioral trait that helps a plant or animal survive in its habitat.
Interaction – something acting upon something else, interactions connect living and nonliving things in an ecosystem, living things interact with other living and nonliving things to meet their needs for food, water, shelter, space
ecosystem – a place where living things interact with other living and nonliving things to meet their needs for food, water, shelter, space
4 Needs – Food, water, shelter, space
Resources – things that meet the needs of living things
Competition - when living things near each other try to get the resources they need to survive
Adaptation - a physical or behavioral trait that helps a plant or animal survive in its habitat.
In the Valley of the Wolves
In 1995, the first gray wolves were transported from Alberta, Canada to Yellowstone National Park, to repopulate the sprawling landscape with the species, absent for more than 70 years. The following year, a second wave of wolves was brought to the park from British Columbia, Canada; five of them were released together, and they were named the Druid Peak pack. Since the arrival of those first immigrants, wolves have thrived in Yellowstone — and none more dramatically than the Druids.
The epic history of the Druids, one of more than a dozen packs now occupying the 2.2 million acres of Yellowstone, is documented in NATURE’s In the Valley of the Wolves, was produced and shot in High Definition by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Bob Landis.
The epic history of the Druids, one of more than a dozen packs now occupying the 2.2 million acres of Yellowstone, is documented in NATURE’s In the Valley of the Wolves, was produced and shot in High Definition by Emmy-award winning filmmaker Bob Landis.