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!
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
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