Unit 2 - The Forest Ecosystem

Lesson 5: Biotic Elements of a Forest Ecosystem


In Lesson 1 of this unit, you learned that a forest ecosystem is made up of both abiotic and biotic elements.  You also learned that the living (biotic) elements of a forest ecosystem include all of the trees, plants (flora) and animal (fauna) species that live there.

  • Flora is plant life; the plants of a particular region.
  • Fauna is all of the animal life in a particular region.

All of the species that inhabit an ecosystem are adapted to that particular environment.

 
Human activity sometimes interferes with the biotic elements of a forest ecosystem in undesirable ways. Things such as our need for food and shelter can negatively affect the forest ecosystem.  Other examples include over-fishing, over-hunting, polluting, agriculture and energy production.

However, humans can also affect the forest ecosystem in positive ways; watch this video to see how.

          Watch "L.E.A.P. — Landscape Ecological Assessment and Planning."

Landscape Ecological Assessment and Planning from OSLI on Vimeo.

If the above video will not play, click here to view Landscape Ecological Assessment and Planning.