This unit is under construction and should be ready by January 2019. Some of the materials for this unit will be taken from the former Unit 4 (Ecosystems Matter and Energy) but will also contain new material. Here is some of the source material that will be in the new unit when we get to it.

Visitors to this site can study a discussion of the need for computer modeling to examine the terrestrial biosphere. Emphasis is placed on integration of multiple measurements across varying scales of time and space into a single tool for visualizing a system, and its use in predicting future changes. Links to a glossary are embedded in the text.

This encyclopedia entry is for the term "autotroph." An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. Because autotrophs produce their own food, they are sometimes called producers. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.

This is an encyclopedia entry for the term "herbivore." An herbivore is an organism that mostly feeds on plants. Text for this entry is appropriate for the upper elementary, middle, and high school grade levels.