1. 1. Biodiversity & Human Impact 2. Sampling Techniques 3. Energy Flow in Ecosystems 4. Fertilisers 5. Survival Instinct

2. Topic 1

3. Key Terms TermDefinition BiodiversityVariety of living organisms on Earth. BiomeDistinct region of Earth with it’s own flora, fauna, and climate. HabitatPlace an organism lives. EcosystemHabitat + Community CommunityAll the living organisms in an area. PopulationA group of living organisms of the one type e.g. dogs SpeciesA group of living organisms which are able to interbreed to produce fertile offspring. TASK Make Match Cards for these Key Terms & Definitions

4. Biomes Earth is divided into distinct climate zones called BIOMES. Each biome contains it’s own animals (fauna), plants (flora) and climate (temperature and rainfall). Plants and animals within these biomes are specially adapted to survive in their surroundings. THINK! What animals/plants do you find in the tropical rainforest? Are these the same in the desert or the polar regions on earth? Discuss.

5. Biodiversity Biodiversity is the term used to describe the variety of living things in an ecosystem. Various factors can affect the biodiversity within an ecosystem, some of which include; - Abiotic factors (i.e. temperature, light intensity) - Biotic factors (i.e. disease, predation) - Human influences - Natural hazards It is important that Biologists keep a close eye on Biodiversity as ecosystems are delicately balanced.

6. Upsetting the Balance The fine balance which exists in every ecosystem can be easily harmed however HUMANS are more often than not the culprits for this.

7. Human Influences: Air Pollution Car exhaust fumes contain sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides (NOx gases) which combine with rain water to form acid rain. THINK! Why is acid rain problematic? Discuss.

8. Human Influences: Deforestation Deforestation is the clearing of vast areas of natural forest without replanting replacement forests. There are many severe consequences of deforestation: - habitat destruction for many organisms - low-lying downstream areas become flooded - reduced soil fertility of hillsides - higher levels of CO 2 contribute to greenhouse effect (climate change)

9. Human Influences: Intensive Agriculture Farmers create conditions that favour one or two chosen kind of crop plants and thus reduce the natural biodiversity. Farmers will do this by using: Herbicides to kill other plants Pesticides to kill pests that reduce crop value Fertilisers that favour the chosen crop Planting GM Crops Remove hedges for easier harvesting

10. Effect of Human Influences on Biodiversity Human activities, e.g. pollution, habitat destruction and over hunting, are to blame for the current wave of extinctions. Currently, extinction is happening x400 than the natural rate There are several different species threatened with extinction today including;

11. Black Rhino

12. Endangered Californian Condor California Condor

13. Endangered Giant Panda

14. Endangered Snow Leopard

15. Endangered Blue Whale

16. Endangered Tiger

17. Endangered Mountain Gorilla

18. Research Project: (2/3 weeks) Aim: “ To prove that human influences are threatening the extinction of ….” Choose one of the ‘Endangered Species’ and use the available resources to find: - Problems caused by the decline in population numbers - How many are left in the wild vs. captivity? - Causes for the species being threatened - Reliable/ Relevant Data Sources (Graphs, Tables etc.) to help prove your aim. Create an A3 poster to show the information you have gathered. HINT: Start with the WWF website for background notes and research on your chosen animal. Remember to note down the FULL URL of any website you visit to record them in your REFERENCES section.

19. Topic 2

20. Sampling Key Terms Abiotic Factors (Non-living factors) Biotic Factors (Living factors) TemperaturePredation Light IntensityDisease Soil MoistureGrazing pH of SoilFood Availability

21. Abiotic Sampling Abiotic factors are the NON-LIVING components of any ecosystem. Experimental sampling of abiotic factors requires good technique to avoid errors whilst using the equipment. Just as with any experiment it is fundamental that the readings are Repeated for Reliable Results.

22. Abiotic Sampling: Equipment and Errors Abiotic FactorEquipment RequiredAvoiding Error TemperatureThermometerLeave thermometer to settle for a few minutes before taking a reading. Light IntensityLight Intensity MeterDo not cast a shadow over the solar panel. Stand to the side when taking readings. pH of SoilSoil pH MeterWipe the probe clean between samples to prevent any cross contamination. Soil MoistureSoil Moisture MeterWipe the probe clean between samples to prevent cross contamination. Experiment 1: Abiotic Sampling Take equipment into grounds and sample 3 different areas for comparison. Note your results in your jotters. ERRORS/ PREVENTIONS OFTEN EXAM QUESTIONS

23. Biotic Sampling: Equipment and Errors Biotic factors are the LIVING components of any ecosystem. The method used to sample the organisms depends on the type of species being studied. Experimental sampling of biotic factors requires good technique and set up of equipment to avoid errors.

24. Biotic Sampling: Pitfall Traps Pitfall traps are a simple method which is used to sample small invertebrates such as insects found in leaf litter/on the floor of woodland etc. It is essential that the cup is buried level with the soil surface and is well camouflaged with leafs. THINK! Why is it important to camouflage the top of the cup? What other problems might arise? Are there any types of insects which this method is NOT suitable for sampling? Discuss. Experiment 2: Biotic Sampling Take equipment into grounds and set up your pitfall traps in various areas. We will return to them tomorrow for the results.

25. Biotic Sampling: Quadrats For plants and animals which don't move much (i.e. limpets) quadrats are normally used to sample their numbers in an area. Quadrats must be repeatedly thrown RANDOMLY in the area for reliable results. Sources of error include the difficulty in identifying the species present and deciding whether or not to include a plant which is partially present in the grid. Experiment 3: Biotic Sampling Take equipment into grounds* and sample the field with your quadrat. Note any findings in your jotters. *Weather depending

26. Biotic Sampling: Other Methods Other ways of sampling living organisms that you should be aware of include; - Tree Beating - Tulgren Funnel - Transect - Water Net

27. Topic 3

28. Key Terms TermDefinition HerbivoreAnimal which only eats plants OmnivoreAnimal which eats both plants and other animals CarnivoreAnimal which only eats other animals Intraspecific Competition Competition between the SAME species Interspecific Competition Competition between DIFFERENT species Food ChainA single chain of organisms showing the direction of energy flow from producer to consumer. Food WebMultiple food chains linked together highlighting the competition for food between species.

29. Balancing the Environment Ecosystems are delicate as every living organism has a key role to play. Example: A sudden increase in disease could wipe out entire populations of plants and animals and create havoc in the food chain which could drastically change the organisms present within that ecosystem indefinitely.

30. Food Chains Food chains show the DIRECTION of energy flow from producer (green plants) to consumer. Only 10% of energy is passed on at each level in a food chain. The other 90% is used in cellular processes, movement, homeostasis (temperature regulation) and excreted as waste. Each organism depends on the one before for survival!

31. Food Webs Food webs are different from food chains as they show intraspecific competition over food sources thus providing a more complete picture of the energy flow. FOOD WEB EXAM QUs WILL ALWAYS ASK HOW ONE SPECIES WILL AFFECT ANOTHER (BALANCE) Experiment 4: Owl Pellet Dissection Tease apart the owl pellet to find out what it has eaten!

32. Nitrogen Cycle In addition to providing food for energy, food chains/webs ensure that nitrogen is recycled in the ecosystem (Circle of Life). Nitrogen is needed to make proteins but cannot be absorbed in gaseous form by plants or animals. Plants must absorb nitrogen in the form of nitrates from the soil. Some plants have special nodules filled with bacteria on their roots which help them to do this.

33. The Nitrogen Cycle Experiment 5: Root Nodules Prove that nitrifying bacteria can be found in root nodules by growing them on nitrogen free agar plates!

34. Topic 4

35. What are Fertilisers? Fertilisers are extra supplies of minerals that are added to the soil to help plants grow. Examples of minerals which are found in fertilisers are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). All of these minerals are vital for the growth of healthy plants. Experiment 6: NPK Deficiency Set up the Experiment as Demonstrated by your teacher. BE CAREFUL when piercing the tin foil not to make the hole too big.

36. Over Use of Fertilisers Farmers often use fertilisers to increase the nutrients in their soil; particularly Nitrogen. Many problems can arise due to fertiliser over-use; in particular EUTROPHICATION due to nutrients feeding bacteria and causing ALGAL BLOOMS which lead to DECREASED BIODIVERSITY.

37. Topic 5

38. Adaptations for Survival Example 1: Cactus Example 2: Polar Bear THINK! What are the ADAPTATIONS that exist for the common following examples? Are they STRUCTURAL/ BEHAVIOURAL?

39. Survival Instinct Animals are born with natural instincts that allow them to sense danger and stay safe. This type of behaviour can be observed in kittens, puppies, humans etc. who all display cautious attitudes and wariness in unfamiliar surroundings. This attitude can change through LEARNING. THINK! How can you tell that a puppy is wary? How do humans encourage this attitude to change? Can you think of an example in babies? Discuss.

40. Learned Behaviour Many animals learn behaviours from their parents which promote survival. Examples include: - Honeybees: Waddle dance - Birds: Migrating for Winter - Birds: Swarms and Murmurs - Ducks: Imprinting