Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - JHS 2
ECOSYSTEM
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ECOSYSTEM
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Subject: Science
Class: JHS 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 3
Grade code: B8.3.3.1.1
Strand code: 3
Sub-strand code: 3
Content standard code: B8.3.3.1
Indicator code: B8.3.3.1.1
Theme: SYSTEMS
Subtheme: ECOSYSTEM
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An ecosystem is a community of living things (plants, animals, microorganisms) interacting with one another and with non-living things (sunlight, water, air, soil). In Ghana, we see ecosystems every day: a farm, a pond, a forest, a savannah, a school garden, or even a gutter with algae and insects. Understanding feeding relationships helps learners explain why some animals become scarce, why pests increase on farms, why overfishing affects livelihoods, and why protecting producers (plants) is important for food security.
A. Why the Sun is the main source of energy in ecosystems Most ecosystems depend on the Sun because it provides energy for photosynthesis.
If there were no Sun: No photosynthesis → green plants cannot make food (glucose). Producers die → animals that eat plants (herbivores) starve. Carnivores die → because their prey (herbivores) die. Food chains collapse → most living things would not survive. Temperature drops drastically → many organisms cannot survive extreme cold. Water cycle reduces (less evaporation) → less rainfall → drought conditions.
> Key idea: Energy enters the ecosystem mainly through sunlight, captured by producers.
B. Important terms (with Ghanaian examples) 1) Producer A producer is an organism (usually a green plant or algae) that makes its own food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, water, and chlorophyll (photosynthesis).