the air above our heads, made up of gases, solids and liquids

benefits gained from the day-to-day functioning of the world's ecosystems that support human life

to control, for example, the flow of water in a pipe or the temperature in a room

the structure, composition and nutrient content of a soil; a measure of soil fertility

the continuous recycling of water in its different states, for example via rainfall and evaporation

Understanding the regulatory functions of the biosphere

Geography

The distribution and characteristics of global biomes

The factors affecting biome distribution

Biosphere resources

Population and resources

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.

Global biomes

To regulate means to {{}}, for example, the flow of water in a pipe.

solids, e.g., ash from volcanic eruptions

The atmosphere is the air above our heads. Which of the following are components of the atmosphere?

forests have cultural benefits such as human happiness

forests provide products or goods such as food and fuel

forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

Which of these is a globally-important regulating service that is provided by the biosphere?

Soil health depends on the ongoing addition of nutrients. The biosphere is involved in two key processes, namely …

Another term for the hydrological cycle is the {{}} cycle.

Put the following statements in the correct order to show the chain effect the large-scale felling of the tropical rainforest has, with deforestation as the starting point.

What term is used for the living ‘layer’ of Earth below the atmosphere?

The tropical rainforest is a rich source of __________ for people.

the extraction and trading of materials (such as wood) for profit

people who have inhabited an area from the earliest times

materials in the environment that support our wants and needs

needing no outside help in order to support themselves, e.g. via trade

Match the following terms to their definitions.

electric vehicle batteries no longer require nickel so demand is shrinking.

indigenous people are being displaced by forest clearance.

indigenous people face losing their livelihoods.

The tropical rainforest biome is being increasingly exploited for its resources. Mining is an issue on the Indonesian island of Halmahera, for example, because …

Coal, oil and natural gas are all {{}} fuels and so create greenhouse gas emissions when used to generate electricity.  

pollute water bodies as they leak chemicals into the river.

reduce the flow of water downstream of the dam.

trap sediment which farmers downstream may have relied upon.

Hydro-electric power is an alternative to burning fossil fuels for power. However, large-scale hydro-electric dams typically …

Understanding the regulatory functions of the biosphere

Lesson outcome