Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain that tropical rainforests have a high rate of nutrient cycling and support high levels of biodiversity and complex food webs.
Key learning points
- Tropical rainforests support high levels of biodiversity.
- Tropical rainforests have high rates of nutrient cycling.
- Tropical rainforests support complex food webs.
Keywords
Biodiversity - a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
Nutrients - chemical substances found in all biotic features which are important for survival
Interdependent - when two or more biotic features, like plants or animals, depend or rely on each other to survive
Common misconception
Tropical rainforest soils must be nutrient-rich because the forests are so full of abundant, fast-growing vegetation.
Tropical rainforest soils are nutrient-poor. Nutrients cycle rapidly out of the soil due to them being taken up rapidly by biomass, while the heavy rainfall also washes them out of the soil through leaching and runoff.
Teacher tip
Check with colleagues in science to see what pupils should already know about nutrient cycles and the movement of nutrients through ecosystems.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the terms to their correct descriptions:
A large geographical area with distinct climate, vegetation & animals.
The interaction of living and non-living things in a particular area.
The specific environment where a species lives.
Q2.Tropical rainforests have a specific climate which is warm with high rainfall all year. How do we define climate?
Q3.What does biodiversity mean?
Q4.Match the stages of a food web with their definitions.
plants converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis
animals depend on plants or other animals for food
fungi & bacteria breaking down dead matter recycling nutrients back
Q5.What impact does deforestation have on ecosystems?
Q6.What is nutrient cycling?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the lesson's keywords with their definitions.
a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
chemical substances found in all biotic features, vital for survival
when two or more biotic features rely on each other to survive
Q2.The soil store in the tropical rainforest has the least amount of nutrients, it doesn't hold nutrients for long making it nutrient- .
Q3.Put the nutrient cycle into the correct order.
Q4.What is one consequence of deforestation on biodiversity?
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests, 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.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
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.