Ecosystems

All will be able identify different ecosystems

Most will be able to describe the Ecosystem pattern of

distribution around the worldSome will be able to investigate

the characteristics and distribution of a major biome

Pupils to choose where they feel they can get to!

Some Keywords• attitudes,• biome, • climate,

• distribution, • ecosystem,

• enquiry, • environment,

• facts, • natural resources,

• opinions, • permafrost, • vegetation

• In pairs, use your skills of interpretation to describe and

draw the distribution of the worlds main ecosystems

• Use your Geographical terms to describe where the different

ecosystems are i.e. North, South and countries names!

You are not allowed to use

the terms:Over there, Top,

Bottom, Left, Right!

http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/index.htm

What is an ecosystem?

• An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants and animals) sharing an environment. The largest ecosystems are

called biomes. • What is a biome?

• A biome is a very large ecosystem e.g. Tropical Rainforest. The next map shows

9 of the world's main biomes.

What is a biome?

• A biome is a very large ecosystem e.g. Tropical Rainforest. The next map shows

9 of the world's main biomes.

• Copy into books

Biomes

http://www.camstreams.com/scenerywebcams.asp

Newfoundland: Canada: Tundra Botswana: Grassland Savannah

Times Square: Temperate Deciduous

Copy this table ready to take notes on the different ecosystems

Name Average Temp.

Average Rainfall

Main Vegetation

Area

Note down the characteristics of each

ecosystems as we look at the images.

• The image above shows a typical cross section in the rainforest. • Emergents are the tallest trees and are usually over 50 metres tall.

The Kapok tree is an example of an emergent. • The sea of leaves blocking out the sun from the lower layers is

called the canopy. The canopy contains over 50% of the rainforest wildlife. This includes birds, snakes and monkeys. Lianas (vines) climb to the canopy to reach this sun light.

• The under canopy mainly contains bare tree trunks and lianas. • The shrub layer has the densest plant growth. It contains shrubs

and ferns and other plants needing less light. Saplings of emergents and canopy trees can also be found here.

• The forest floor is usually dark and damp. It contains a layer of rotting leaves and dead animals called litter. This decomposes rapidly (within 6 weeks) to form a thin humus, rich in nutrients.

Tundra is found in the

extreme North of

Canada and Asia.

-12ºC to -6ºC Average

Temperature

Hardly any rainfall

The average annual

temperature in a deciduous

forest is 50° F.

The average rainfall is 30 to

60 inches a year

Found in Europe, North America and Asia

Nearly 80 degrees all year round

400-1000 cm of rain each year

Found around the Equator

less than 25cm

of rainfall a year

rare clouds little rain

very hot days very cold nights

20-25° C mean

average temp

43.5-49° C extreme temps

Central Africa (Kenya), America

and The North and East of South America (Brazil).

100 and 400 mm a year

15-25 degrees C

12 degrees Celsius to 10 degrees Celsius

The average precipitation is 30 cm a year.

Found in parts of North America and

Central Asia

10° C. 20-40 inches

Parts of Canada and Russia