1. Ecosystems Year 11

2. An ecosystem is the system of links between the living environment and the non-living environment. Non-living Producers Consumers Decomposers Sun, water, minerals Grasses, trees, algae Rabbits, foxes, owls Bacteria, certain insects Nutrients

3. The largest ecosystems are known as biomes. There are nine major biomes. They are shaped by climate, relief, geology and soils. Tropical forest Desert Coniferous Forest Deciduous Forest

4. Plants and animals adapt to fit their ecosystem e.g.: tropical forest Emergent Canopy Undergrowth LayerAdaptation Umbrella-shaped, branches near crowns Branches and leaves high Waxy drip-tip leaves Buttress roots Sparse, hardy plants Widespread decomposition Reason Competition for light Competition for light Heavy rain runs off Support tall trunks Little light Hot and wet

5. The three-toed sloth has a lifestyle that is unusual but that suits it perfectly for life in the canopy. It uses as little energy as possible because it’s diet of leaves has little nutrition. Leaves are hard to digest, so sloths have special large stomachs. To hide from eagles, it has tiny plants growing in the grooves of its hair. These plants make its hair look greenish. About once every two weeks, a three-toed sloth makes a very, very slow trip all the way down to the ground. Here it digs a hole and deposits its droppings in the hole. Sloths spend most of their time upside-down, hanging from branches by their three-inch-long claws. They even sleep and have babies in this position.

6. People affect ecosystems 1.In the UK we have cut down large swathes of temperate deciduous forest to make way for farming and urban areas. 2.The landscape of the New Forest is shaped by farming techniques and ancient laws maintaining good hunting – not a ‘natural’ state.

7. Deforestation in Brazil Forest removal HYDROELECTRIC POWER - large scale flooding MINERAL EXTRACTION - valuable commodity - open caste mining cheaper than underground workings LAND IS CLEARED for cattle farming and growing cattle fodder POPULATION GROWTH The government wishes to settle poor people, includes road building LOGGING Only certain trees have high value Many more are cut down for access

8. Sustainable development - forestry In the forest: Cabling (airlift trees out by helicopter) Replanting Zoning (only logging in certain areas) Selective logging (most trees left standing) Outside the forest: Create demand (label products) Ban sale of non- sustainable and illegally logged wood Conservation / ecotourism Example: Malaysia exports 30% world’s hardwood under strict controls. Trees have to be of a certain age and height and companies must replant as many as they remove

9. Case Study The effects of people on an ecosystem. (i) Name and locate an ecosystem you have studied. (ii) Describe the structure of the ecosystem. Refer to plants and animals. Draw diagrams if you wish. (iii) Explain how and why people are changing (or have changed) the ecosystem structure. [8]

10. CASE STUDY: Likely to be rain forest areas but could be river ecosystems or savannah/tundra/desert or other forest ecosystems e.g. acid rain in European coniferous forests. Max L3 if do not mention plants and animals. Levels of response mark scheme. Work upwards from lowest level. Level 1: Choice of case study applied reasonably well. Simple description or explanation. Information is communicated by brief statements. 1/2 marks Level 2: Choice of case study applied well. Gives descriptive points in more detail but little explanation. Communication begins to show structure with occasional use of specialist terms. Sentences show some coherence but occasional errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. 3/4 marks Level 3: Appropriate choice of case study applied well. Provides a balanced account which gives descriptive detailed points with some explanation. sentences with few errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. 5/6 marks Level 4: Appropriate choice of case study applied very well. Provides a balanced account, which includes specific detailed description and explanation. Communication is logical, structured and includes specialist terms. Spelling, punctuation and grammar have considerable accuracy. 7/8 marks

11. Solutions / changes to the ecosystems Sustainable development – using resources (people and environment) that will allow continued use for future generations without endangering people/environment Sustainable logging – Peru – cut strips of forest only 20m wide. Cleared portable saw. Oxen and cart take logs out so minimises damage. Felled area allowed trees to regenerate for up to 40 years National Parks – Jau Rainforest Park, Brazil – protects from development so biodiversity (variety of plants and animals not destroyed) and local tribes such as Kayapo are protected. Ecotourism – small, scale environmentally friendly money going directly to locals. Yachana Lodge, Ecuador rainforest – fair trade chocolate, improved lodges, school, water filters.