Competition is when organisms in a community or population are seeking the same limited resource (e.g. food, mates).

An adaptation is a feature that organisms have to help them live in a particular place.

Physiological adaptations are body processes that help an organism to survive and reproduce.

A microorganism is an organism that can only be seen using a microscope.

Extremophiles are organisms that are able to successfully survive and reproduce in extreme environments (e.g. very hot/very cold).

Competition and adaptations in ecosystems

Biology

Components of an ecosystem

Measuring the size and distribution of populations of organisms

Estimating population size using quadrats: practical

Estimating population size and distribution using transects: practical

The role of microorganisms in decomposition

Factors affecting the rate of decomposition

The effect of temperature on the rate of decomposition by an enzyme: practical

The effect of temperature on the rate of decomposition by an enzyme: data analysis and evaluation

Material cycles: the carbon cycle

Material cycles: the water cycle

Pupils will learn about biomass transfer including calculating the efficiency of transfers between trophic levels. They will learn about human impacts on the environment, food security and biotechnology to help maintain biodiversity and achieve food security.

Pupils learned about interdependence within ecosystems and how plants and animals are adapted to their environment. Pupils undertook ecological sampling to estimate population sizes and looked at the impact of humans on biodiversity.

This unit explores ecosystem organisation, biotic and abiotic factors, material cycling, and the role of decomposers. It covers methods for identifying species and measuring their distribution. Emphasis is on selecting appropriate techniques, accurate measurements, sampling, and fieldwork practices.

Living organisms and their environments

What do we call organisms that you can only see with a microscope?

An organism that lives in harsh environments.

An organism that has a large number of adaptations.

animals hunting at night time to avoid being eaten by predators

leaves of a cactus being modified into spines

producing venom to paralyse and/or kill prey

Match the examples of adaptations with the type of adaptation that they represent.

What is the name given to the process of organisms seeking the same limited resource (e.g. food) within a habitat?

In which of the following places might you be more likely to find an extremophile?

To hear predators, as the large ears allow the fennec fox to hear better.

To help shade the eyes of the fennec fox from the sun.

To help the fennec fox trap more heat from the environment.

To help the fennec fox lose more heat and stop it from overheating.

To allow it to be nocturnal and avoid the sun's heat during the day.

Look at the picture of the fennec fox. It has a structural adaptation of having big ears. The fennec fox lives in the desert. How might this adaptation help the fennec fox to survive in its habitat?

What is it called when an animal's colour or pattern helps it blend into its surroundings?

Some animals travel from one habitat to another at different times of year. Other animals spend the cold winter months in hibernation. These are both examples of {{}} adaptations.

creating wildflower meadows on waste ground

cutting down hedgerows around fields of crops

creating and protecting wild areas in parks and gardens

Which of the following could increase biodiversity?

all of the populations that live and interact in a habitat

the interacting living and non-living parts of the environment

how organisms rely on each other for their survival

Match the ecological term with its definition.

The small leaves help the plant to absorb lots of light.

The spines helps to protect the plant from being eaten.

The small leaves help to reduce water loss.

The spines help the plant to absorb water.

The gorse plant has small leaves and sharp spines. How do these features help the gorse plant to survive in their dry sandy habitats?

Competition and adaptations in ecosystems

Lesson outcome