Key learning points

1. Cold environment ecosystems exhibit interdependence of climate, water, soils, plants, animals and people.
2. Food chains and food webs show how biotic and abiotic components are interdependent in a cold environment.
3. Nutrient cycles show how biotic and abiotic components are interdependent in a cold environment.

Keywords

• Biotic - the living elements of an ecosystem (e.g. plants, animals)

• Abiotic - the non-living elements of an ecosystem (e.g. water, nutrients)

• Interdependence - the connections between different components of the environment, where each component depends on or influences the others

• Evapotranspiration - the transfer of water to the atmosphere through evaporation from surfaces and transpiration from plants

Common misconception