Climate change is a long-term shift in weather patterns.

A process or system that takes more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.

Deforestation is the removal of trees, often for timber or fuel, or to repurpose land for housing or farming.

Ocean acidification is the reduction of the ocean pH over an extended period of time, mainly caused by the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere.

Climate change and biodiversity: forests and oceans

Combined science

Negative human interactions with ecosystems and impacts on biodiversity

Examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including fish farming

Benefits and challenges of maintaining biodiversity

Pupils learned about biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem, measuring population size, interdependence and competition in ecosystems, how changes in biotic and abiotic factors affect communities, the cycling of carbon and water, and the role of microorganisms in cycling materials through ecosystems.

This unit explores trophic levels, biomass pyramids, and the efficiency of biomass transfers in ecosystems. It examines human impacts on biodiversity, factors affecting food security, and biotechnological solutions. Emphasis is on evaluating environmental changes and ethical considerations.

Maintaining biodiversity and human impacts

the reduction of ocean pH due to absorption of CO₂ from the atmosphere

the removal of trees, contributing to climate change

the planting of trees, helping to reduce climate change

Match the following scientific terms to their correct meaning.

Which greenhouse gas is absorbed from the atmosphere by oceans?

Forests act as a carbon sink because they absorb more {{}} gas from the atmosphere than they release into it.

Forests absorb ________ of our annual carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere.

Which of the following is the primary cause of deforestation?

Which of these problems is caused by acidification of the oceans due to absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

Climate change is a ________-term shift in weather patterns.

Photosynthesis takes place in the green parts of plants, including the leaves and stems. Which gas is a *product* of photosynthesis and is released into the air from leaves?

Photosynthesis takes place in the green parts of plants, including the leaves and stems. Which gas is a *reactant* in photosynthesis and is absorbed into leaves from the air?

True or false? Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas.

The loss of living animals and plants from a place.

The range of animals that live in a place.

The range of environmental conditions in a place.

The range of plants that live in a place.

The range of species that live in a place.

Which of the following is the correct description of biodiversity?

Which of these ecosystems has the *lowest* biodiversity?

Climate change and biodiversity: forests and oceans

Lesson outcome