Organisms and Environments

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Organisms and environments. The student understands stability and change in populations and ecosystems.
Glossary terms and definitions are consistent across kindergarten through high school in the TEKS Guide. The definitions are intended to give educators a common understanding of the terms regardless of what grade level they teach. Glossary definitions are not intended for use with students.

the biotic and abiotic resources provided to support specific populations in a community

model that demonstrates how matter and energy are transferred between producers (generally plants and other organisms that engage in photosynthesis), consumers (herbivores, omnivores, carnivores), and decomposers as the three groups interact—primarily for food—within an ecosystem

a group of interbreeding organisms of the same species within an environment

Research

Wyner, Yael. “Disrupted Food Webs: Exploring the Relationship between Overfishing and Dead Zones in the Chesapeake Bay.” Science Scope 33, no. 7 (2010): 78–85. http:/www.research.net

Summary:  Using a real-life dilemma of overfishing in the Chesapeake Bay, this article explains the various disruptions that can occur to food webs and ecosystems based on human impact. Analysis of graphs before fishing and after fishing help to solidify the impacts on other organisms in a food web.