Causes of biodiversity loss in the taiga biome
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe how acid precipitation, forest fires and pests and diseases contribute to a loss of biodiversity in the taiga.
Key learning points
- The taiga is vulnerable to biodiversity loss.
- The taiga is experiencing a loss of biodiversity.
- Acid precipitation is contributing to a loss of biodiversity.
- Forest fires and pests and diseases are contributing to a loss of biodiversity.
Keywords
Biodiversity - a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
Habitat - the natural place where a plant or animal lives and grows
Climate change - long-term changes in temperature, weather patterns and atmospheric conditions resulting from human activities like burning fossil fuels
Common misconception
All wildfires in the taiga are harmful and should be prevented.
Some wildfires are natural and necessary for ecosystem renewal, as they clear old vegetation and help new trees grow. However, climate change has made fires more intense and frequent.
Teacher tip
The "Mountain Pine Beetle" layer from Esri Canada is available on ArcGIS Online, and shows changes in distribution over time in Canada's Rocky Mountains.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is biodiversity?
Q2.What is the taiga biome?
Q3.What type of trees dominate the taiga?
Q4.Which of the following is a common climate characteristic of the taiga?
Q5.How do animals in the taiga adapt to the cold?
Q6.Why is biodiversity lower in the taiga than in tropical rainforests?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What is a major threat to biodiversity in the taiga?
Q2.How do evergreen trees in the taiga survive cold winters?
Q3.How can wildfires contribute to ecosystem renewal in the taiga?
Q4.How does climate change threaten biodiversity in the taiga?
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Causes of biodiversity loss in the taiga biome, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Causes of biodiversity loss in the taiga biome, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 geography lessons from the Tropical rainforest and taiga biomes unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.