living components of an ecosystem, such as plants and animals

non-living components of an ecosystem such as soils and climate

a complex interconnection of food chains within an ecosystem

the natural home or environment in which an animal or plant lives

the variety of plants and animals in the world or in a particular habitat

Changes in small-scale ecosystems

Geography

Understanding small-scale ecosystems

The distribution and characteristics of global biomes

The factors affecting biome distribution

Using GIS to visualise the distribution and characteristics of global biomes

This unit teaches pupils about ecosystems and biomes at different scales. Pupils learn about the factors influencing biome distribution and the physical systems and processes regulating them. Pupils will also learn about the impact of population growth and resource extraction on biomes.

Ecosystems, biomes and the biosphere

An {{}} is a community of organisms (such as plants and animals) that interact with one another and their non-living environment.

there would be an increase because there would be more worms and snails

there would be a decrease because there would be fewer worms and snails

there would be no change as thrushes do not eat oak leaves

If a disease meant that there were fewer oak trees, what might the likely impact be on the number of thrushes?

Identify the apex predators in this food web.

a farmer applies nitrate-rich fertiliser to fields

run-off linked to heavy rain carries nitrates to the river

there is a rapid growth of algae in the river water

fish die due to the lack of oxygen in the river

Put the stages of eutrophication in the correct order.

the removal of hedgerows to enlarge fields

the addition of wildflower strips around fields

Which of the following agricultural practices can disrupt the balance within an ecosystem, rather than restoring it?

College Lake near Pitstone in Buckinghamshire, is a nature reserve that has developed on the site of a former chalk {{}} and cement works.

What is the use of light energy to make food called?

Identify the producer or producers in this food web.

Which of the following would be considered biotic?

Living organisms are one of the stores of nutrients within an ecosystem. What name is given to this store?

rain washing chemicals out of the atmosphere and into an ecosystem

leaching removing soluble minerals from the soil store

littering transferring nutrients from the biomass store to the litter store

runoff removing nutrients from the litter store

Which of the following are examples of losses of nutrients from an ecosystem?

Which of these is the best description of nutrient cycling?

Changes in small-scale ecosystems

Lesson outcome