in Biographies, Earth Science

All About Habitats

Habitats

A habitat is a place where an organism lives. A habitat contains all the vital elements needed for the organism to survive. For example, your own house is your habitat as a human. You have food, water and shelter that you need to survive. A fox’s and a fish’s habitats are completely different because they need different conditions in order to survive

Habitats and the different plants and animals that reside in them form together to create an ecosystem.

Within each habitat there are populations of different plants and animals. The relationship between the plants and animals that make up these populations can be seen in our article titled ‘Producer and Consumer Habitats’ linked below:

https://easyscienceforkids.com/producers-and-consumers-habitats/

 

How to study a habitat

  • Draw a map of the habitat in order to locate and establish key features and elements
  • Write down the different environmental factors that may affect the habitat and the organisms that live there. For example, what are the weather conditions, is it located near water, what type of soil is evident etc.
  • Categories the different plants and animals that you can see in the habitat
  • Estimate the number of each plant and animal present
  • Prepare a report of your findings

 

Identifying different plants and animals in a habitat

  • Apparatus
  • How it is used
  • Collects

  • Pooter

  • A small sheet is held underneath a tree and you shake the branches in order to catch organisms in your sheet
  • Small insects

  • Beating tray

  • A small sheet is held underneath a tree and you shake the branches in order to catch organisms in your sheet
  • Small insects and small animals that live in trees

  • Pitfall trap

  • A jar is placed into the ground and something is placed over the jar in order to prevent rain from flooding the jar
  • Small animals
 
***How to estimate the number of organisms in a habitat***

Quadrats are used to sample the number of organisms in a habitatA Quadrat is a square frame which you throw at random within a habitat. After you have thrown the quadrat you will then identify what organisms are present and how many of them there are.

Habitat Study Mix and Match Worksheet