Ecosystems

1
Ecosystems

• Presented by Ms. Hill
• Environment Education Officer

2
What are Ecosystems?

• An ecosystem is a community of plants, animals
  and smaller organisms that live, feed, reproduce
  and interact in the same area or environment.

3
Ecosystem Scales

• Micro Ecosystem e.g. Pond
• Messo Ecosystem e.g. Forest
• Biome Ecosystem e.g. Desert
• The World has many different ecosystems. Each one
  has its own climate, soil, plants and animals.

4
(No Transcript)
5
Types of Ecosystems in Antigua and barbuda

• Terrestrial
• Mangrove
• Coral Reefs
• Seagrass
• Beaches

6
Terrestrial ecosystem

• A terrestrial ecosystem is a community of
  organisms and their environment that occurs on
  the landmasses of continents and islands.
• Ecosystem characterised by availability of light,
  limited availability of water, concentration of
  gases (carbon dioxide and oxygen)
• Example in Antigua Wallings Forest

7
(No Transcript)
8
Mangrove Ecosystem

• Mangrove refers to a group of woody plants that
  have adapted to live in salty, muddy, permanently
  or seasonally waterlogged conditions.
• Mangrove swamps are coastal wetlands found in
  tropical and subtropical regions. They are
  characterized by halophytic (salt loving) trees,
  shrubs and other plants growing in brackish to
  saline tidal waters.
• The entire assemblage of flora and fauna
  associated with the salt tolerant mangroves is
  referred to as a mangrove ecosystem.

9
Mangrove Ecosystem

• There are 36 mangrove sites in Antigua and
  Barbuda boasting the 4 main species red, white,
  black and buttonwood
• Areas where large mangroves can be found
• Parham Harbour
• Fitches Creek
• Guiana Island
• Codrington Lagoon
• Cades Bay

10
(No Transcript)
11
Coral Reef Ecosystems

• The sun is the initial source of energy for this
  ecosystem. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton,
  algae, and other plants convert light energy into
  chemical energy. As animals eat plants or other
  animals, a portion of this energy is passed on.
• Coral reefs serve as homes to many creatures
  including sponges, sea anemones, star fish,
  worms, sea urchins, shrimp, crab and lobster.

12
(No Transcript)
13
Seagrass ecosystem

• These unusual marine flowering plants are called
  seagrasses because the leaves are long and narrow
  and are very often green, and because the plants
  often grow in large "meadows" which look like
  grassland.
• Serve as an important nursery for juvenile fish
  and invertebrated species.
• Examples in Antigua Cades Bay, Long Bay

14
(No Transcript)
15
Beach ecosystem

• Antigua and Barbuda have at least 365 beaches
  dotting the islands
• Beaches are home to crabs, birds, insects, and
  many other creatures
• They serve as nesting grounds to several turtles
  including the Hawksbill turtle, the Green turtle,
  and the Leatherback turtle.

16
(No Transcript)
17
Unscramble the following

• temyscsoe
• meoib
• semso
• gmrvanoe

18
Questions

• What is an ecosystem?
• What kind of animals live in a coral reef
  ecosystem?
• What kind of gases are in a terrestrial
  ecosystem?
• Name 5 beaches in Antigua and Barbuda