Ecosystems – An Introduction

1. Ecosystems – An Introduction Theme 2 – Processes and human interaction Year 10

2. What is an Ecosystem? Definition: A community of plants and animals which interact with each other and with the non-living environment.

3. An Ecosystem may be very small such as: • A back garden • A pond • A playground

4. Some may be very large like: • The deserts of Africa • The rain forest of Brazil • The saltwater oceans • The Tundra

5. You can divide the earth into huge ecosystems or biomes

6. So why are the biomes different? • Climate is the main driving force to explain different ecosystems around the world • Climate affects the soil and as such what can grow in a region – remember….ecosystems always start with plants! • Plants adapt to the climate around them and as such the animals that feed off them do to and so on….

7. What is an Ecosystem? Watch these clips – they will Help you today and in the future.. You will need to make notes http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zx26j6f http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/clips/zkdnvcw What have you learnt?

8. Layers of the rainforest Canopy Emergents 50m Under Canopy liana saprophytes buttress roots 0m Shrub Layer

9. Vegetation Layers in the rainforest

10. GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION OF BIOMES

11. Tropic of Cancer – Tropic of Capricorn Imaginary lines on the Earth – just like the Equator! Located at 23.5 degrees north and south of the Equator – experiences sun high in the sky all of the time – and as such does not really have seasons!

12. Temperature Graph of UK Consider the range of the temperature – which month is the hottest, coldest and most Wet??

13. Temperature Graph of Manaus - Brazil

14. Ecosystems – where does it start? • Sun’s energy is used by plants to make chlorophyll (green stuff in leaves) • Carbon Dioxide and Water are taken in through leaves and roots • The sun’s energy makes glucose – this is called photosynthesis

15. So.. • Why do plants grow so fast in a Tropical Rainforest? Ideas please….

16. Ecosystems are made up of two parts: • Living things – such as bacteria, plants and animals - Biotic And • Non living things – such as the environment, climate and water - Abiotic • Living and non living things are inter-connected and work as a system

18. So how does an ecosystem work?

19. Food Chains • A food chain always starts with the Sun and a plant! • A food chain shows what eats what! • Energy flows from the sun and then from one organism to another through the food chain SUN GRASS WORMS BLACKBIRD HAWK OWL

20. Food Webs - Activity • Often several consumers feed on the same thing • Food chains link to form a Food Web • These can often be large and complex Which are the tertiary consumers? Answer the questions on the sheet..

21. Nutrient Cycles

22. Nutrient Cycles • Life in the rainforest ecosystem is linked through inputs and outputs

23. What is Biodiversity? The number and variety of organisms found within a specified geographic region.

24. What is a Tropical Rainforest? • Massive forests normally found in lowland regions within 10 degrees of the Equator

25. Food Webs When consumers eat each other – energy is transferred Plants are called producers – they use sunlight to get energy Top predators

26. Where does the rain come from?

27. Characteristics of the tropical rainforest • Provides the most luxuriant vegetation on the earth! • Over 1/3 of the world’s trees grow here! • The unique climate of high humidity, high temperatures and heavy rain means that the tropical rainforest has an all year growing season • Plants and trees have adapted to this and have a unique appearance

28. Climate of the UK Vs The TRF • Have a look at the climate charts of Manaus (Brazil) and the UK • Describe and explain the charts –on the sheets • What is the range of temperature (I.e. difference between max and min) for each graph? • What is the approx annual amount of rainfall in the UK?

29. Temperature Graph of Manaus - Brazil

30. Temperature Graph of UK

31. Plant Adaptations • Trees can grow to over 40 meters in an effort to get sunlight • Tree trunks are straight and have buttress roots above the ground to give the tree support • Trees look evergreen and the canopy is unbroken • Leaves do fall, at any time and rot in the climate quickly • The forest floor is dark and damp – as little light gets to the ground level due to the trees

32. “Lungs” of the world • Trees take in water (rain) and release via evaporation and transpiration • Trees take in Carbon Dioxide and release Oxygen • The rainforest is a net absorber of Carbon Dioxide – in other words it takes in enough Carbon Dioxide to protect the Earth from the “Greenhouse Effect” • If trees are cut down, balance is removed – trees/wood when burned release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere

33. Key Terms • Sustainability - Meeting the needs of the present without harming the needs of the future • Biodiversity – the range of plants and animal species within a given geographical range

34. Tropical Rainforest - Objectives • To learn how a Tropical Rainforest operates • To begin to understand nutrient cycles and distribution of TRFs • Begin to develop an understanding of human activity in TRFs