Introduction to Ecosystems
• Securing/Exceeding: Detailed description
of the location and different adaptations of plants and animals, of a range of
ecosystems. Range of key words and
examples, explanations mostly correctly.
• Emerging/Developing: Very detailed
description and explanation of location, features and adaptations of plants and animals, of a wide range of ecosystems. Use of a wide range of key words
Ecosystems
• A community of plants and animals which are living (biotic components) and their non-living environment (abiotic) – for example light,
energy, rock, minerals and air.
– Biggest influence on the type of vegetation found in an ecosystem is rainfall and temperature.
• Biomes – large ecosystems with similar characteristics – in similar places.
• Ecosystems have lots of natural vegetation – plants that grow naturally.
• Some ecosystems have lots of biodiversity – number of animals and plants.
Describing the location of
different ecosystems
1. What is the dominant type of ecosystem in the UK?
2. How many different ecosystems are there in North America?
3. Describe the location of the Chaparral ecosystem?
4. Describe the location of the tropical rainforests?
Ecosystems
1. Temperate forests 2. 7
3. Southern Europe (Spain, Italy, Greece), Northern Africa, West coast of USA (32 degrees North of the equator)
4. Equatorial region, between the tropics, 23.5 degrees north & south of the equator: Central Africa, Asia,
eastern South America, north-east Australasia. 5. Tundra north of North America, (Canada, Alaska),
Greenland. North Asia, northern Russia, whereas Deserts found within the tropics, south USA, central to northern Africa, southern west and central parts of Asia. Central Australasia.
UK’s natural ecosystem
• The UK’s natural ecosystem is
woodland. The UK was once covered by
this woodland, but now it is dominated by farming and urban areas.
• Just 10% of the land area in the UK is
forest. But most of the Earth’s surface is still covered by natural ecosystems.
• Natural ecosystems that cover a large area of the Earth are known as biomes. The biome in any part of the world is
Ecosystems – key words
1. Ecosystem 2. Biome 3. Biotic 4. Abiotic 5. Tundra 6. Rainforest 7. Equatorial region 8. Adaptations 9. Natural vegetation 10. BiodiversityA. Non living things B. Large ecosystem C. Living things
D. 23.5 degrees north & south of the equator
E. Number of living things F. Plants that grow naturally
G. How plants and animals survive in their environment
H. Hot and wet ecosystem I. Cold / dry ecosystem
Different processes of
ecosystems
• Exceeding/Securing: Detailed description of the different processes operating in
ecosystems. A range of key words used.
• Developing/Emerging: Detailed description and explanation of the different processes operating in ecosystems. Wide range of key words used.
Eco-systems
Inputs Solar radiation Insecticides Rainfall Air pollution Air Soil Organic Matter Fertiliser Water pollution Processes Feeding Reproduction Photosynthesis Decomposing Tree Clearance OutputsWater into rivers Transpiration
Oxygen Minerals Timber
Food Chains
1. Describe one food chain from this food web. [2] 2. Explain what may happen to this food web if the
coniferous forest were removed. [4] 3. Explain why trees require sunlight.[2]
Food chain: Transfer of energy from one
Note which way all the
other arrows are pointing!
Describe a food chain in this web
• Fosas eat flying foxes, which eat mice which eat the rainforest.
• Think about what you are writing – the trees cannot eat frogs!
Food chains
1. Has to start with a producer, and end with any secondary or tertiary consumer. The arrows must go the direction the energy is flowing. 2. Forests cut down, less food for primary
consumers such as crossbills and insects, so there will be more pressure on other
producers, thus less food. Primary consumers will begin to die and out and this will lead to
less food for secondary consumers, which will start to die out and the whole ecosystem will collapse
Food chains
3. Plants need the energy from sunlight to photosynthesise to make food to give them energy to grow / survive.
Photosynthesis is where they convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar.
Food chains
• The organisms in a food chain can be either producers,
consumers, or decomposers.
• Producers are green plants capable of making their own food
using energy from the sun in a process called photosynthesis.
• Consumers are animals that cannot make their own food.
They get their energy from other plants and animals. A food chain can have as many as three to four consumers.
• Decomposers are unable to make their own food. Bacteria
and fungi are decomposers. They break down waste
products and dead organisms for food. These broken down materials are returned to the soil to be recycled as
Food chains
• First level consumers feed directly
on plants; an example - a mouse.
• Second level consumers feed on
first level consumers; example - a
rattlesnake that eats the mouse.
• Third level consumers feed on
second level consumers; an example
of this would be a hawk eating the
Nutrient cycle
Team work
•Working in groups you are going to replicate the diagram of the nutrient cycle
•Number yourselves 1-4 •30 seconds to view
•2 views per person
Rain cloud
Rock
Soil
Humus
The nutrient cycle
Nutrient store Nutrient flow Wilf: describe and
explain the nutrient cycle
Nutrient cycle: Transfer of nutrients from one
Rain cloud
Rock
Soil
Humus
The nutrient cycle
Nutrient store Nutrient flow
Sunshine and rainfall helps trees grow
Wilf: describe and explain the nutrient cycle
Rain cloud
Rock
Soil
Humus
The nutrient cycle
Nutrient store Nutrient flow Nutrients stored in the forest Nutrients in humus Nutrients in soil
Sunshine and rainfall helps trees produce
Roots take up
nutrients from the soil
Rocks break down to form soil
Rain washes nutrients from humus into the soil Leaves fall to ground and decay and decompose
Wilf: describe and explain the nutrient cycle
The Nutrient Cycle
Input
Input
Input
Input
Output
Output
Leaching: Rapid movement of materialThe Nutrient Cycle
1) Name two inputs. 2) Name two outputs? (4) 3) Describe the nutrient cycle (4)
4) A nutrient cycle in a hot, wet climate would be rapid. Why? [2] 5) A nutrient cycle in a cold, dry climate would be slow. Why? [2]
The Nutrient Cycle
Input
Input
Input
Input
Output
Output
Describe the nutrient cycle
• Vegetation falls from trees
• These form a litter layer on the forest floor • This is decomposed by bacteria to create
a humus layer full of nutrients
• These are returned to the forest via the roots of plants
4) Rapid nutrient cycle in hot and
wet climates because….
• High temperatures and abundant water / high humidity
• Encourage rapid rotting / bacteria activity & humus creation. Optimum conditions for bacteria to operate
• 5) So… In cold / dry climates, little heat and water – discourage rotting / bacteria activity & humus creation.
