Introduction:

Can you guess the title of today’s lesson?

Hint- it is an anagram

COMETS YES!
Ecosystems!
Living World

GCSE Geography: The Living World

Introducing Ecosystems

Today’s Aim:
To introduce a range of ecosystems
existing at a range of scales

Starter Challenge: Pair Talk - What is

an ecosystem and what could you expect to
find there?
 Defining

Let’s begin with a definition of an ecosystem. Task: fill in the blanks to reveal
the definition of an ecosystem

An ecosystem is a ___________ of _______ and ________(biotic) interacting

with ________ factors such as ________, water, climate and ________ (abiotic).
Everything __________on each other. There must be a __________ between
different parts.

Word Bank
Air Balance Depends Physical Community Soil Animals Plants

Challenge: Can you identify 5 examples of ecosystems and describe the biotic organisms and abiotic factors?
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Review
Identify whether the following factors are biotic or abiotic:
 Key Terms

We are going to think about the various organisms within an ecosystem. Before
we do that, lets correctly identify the following key terms:
Key Term Definition
A community of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) that interact with each other (living components) and their physical
environment (non-living components, e.g. temperature, rainfall, soil, water, and light).

An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis (making sugars). It also needs
water, carbon dioxide and nutrients from soil/rock to produce what it needs for itself.

Creature that eats herbivores and/or plant matter. They obtain the energy from what they eat, e.g. if they eat a producer
they will get the sugars they made.

An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue, which effectively recycles their nutrients back to
the environment.

The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely upon one another as their source of food.

A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food.

A set of processes whereby organisms extract nutrients (e.g. nitrogen, potash, and potassium) necessary for growth from
soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain − and ultimately back to the soil and water when they die.
 Answers:
• Ecosystem – A community of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) that interact with each
other (living components) and their physical environment (non-living components, e.g.
temperature, rainfall, soil, water, and light).
• Producer – An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through
photosynthesis (making sugars). It also needs water, carbon dioxide and nutrients from
soil/rock to produce what it needs for itself.
• Consumer – Creature that eats herbivores and/or plant matter. They obtain the energy
from what they eat, e.g. if they eat a producer they will get the sugars they made.
• Decomposer – An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead
tissue, which effectively recycles their nutrients back to the environment.
• Food chain – The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely
upon one another as their source of food.
• Food web – A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food.
• Nutrient cycling – A set of processes whereby organisms extract nutrients (e.g. nitrogen,
potash, and potassium) necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on
through the food chain − and ultimately back to the soil and water when they die.
 Small Scale Ecosystem:
A Pond

An example of a small-scale ecosystem: A Pond

Small Group Talk
Freshwater ponds provide a variety of habitats for plants and
animals.
There are considerable variations in the amount of light, water
and oxygen available in different parts of the pond.
Animals living at the bottom in deep water need different
adaptations to those living on the margins of the pond, e.g. water
lilies send their flowering stems to the water surface when they
are submerged but reeds can only cope in dry conditions at the
margin of the pond.

In small groups, discuss:

1. The FACTORS that will affect this ecosystem
2. The DIFFERENT habitats that will exist within
the ecosystem
 Species Energy source (food
Producer Consumers or sunlight)
Algae and Sunlight
microscopic
Detritus – Great
Midge plants
decaying diving Fish Heron
Larva Blackfly Detritus
leaves Beatle
Caddis (small Mayfly, Blackfly,
moth-like Worms
But an ecosystem isn’t as simple and as linear as this. Connections within an insect)
ecosystem exist in a much more complex web. Task: Complete a food web for the Detritus Sunlight
same ecosystem using the information in the table. Dragonfly Worms, Mayfly,
Blackfly, Midge
larva
Fish Mayfly, Caddis,
Stonefly, Great
diving beetle,
Dragonfly

Great diving Midge larva,

beetle Blackfly
Heron Fish
Kingfisher Fish
Mayfly Algae and
microscopic plants
Midge larva Detritus, Algae and
microscopic plants
Stonefly Blackfly, Mayfly
Worms Detritus
 Small Scale Ecosystem:
A Pond

Great diving Detritus Fish Midge

Heron
beetle (decaying leaves) larva
Producer Consumers

Task 1: Complete a freshwater

food chain by adding the names into
the correct box.

Task 2: Describe the ways that

human beings could change how
this ecosystem functions.
Exam Practice
Key Term Definition
A community of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) that interact
with each other (living components) and their physical
environment (non-living components, e.g. temperature, rainfall,
soil, water, and light).
An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun
through photosynthesis (making sugars). It also needs water,
carbon dioxide and nutrients from soil/rock to produce what it
needs for itself.
Creature that eats herbivores and/or plant matter. They obtain the
energy from what they eat, e.g. if they eat a producer they will get
the sugars they made.
An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead
tissue, which effectively recycles their nutrients back to the
environment.
The connections between different organisms (plants and animals)
that rely upon one another as their source of food.
A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other
for food.
A set of processes whereby organisms extract nutrients (e.g.
nitrogen, potash, and potassium) necessary for growth from soil or
water, before passing them on through the food chain − and
ultimately back to the soil and water when they die.
Key Term Definition
A community of plants (flora) and animals (fauna) that interact
with each other (living components) and their physical
environment (non-living components, e.g. temperature, rainfall,
soil, water, and light).
An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun
through photosynthesis (making sugars). It also needs water,
carbon dioxide and nutrients from soil/rock to produce what it
needs for itself.
Creature that eats herbivores and/or plant matter. They obtain the
energy from what they eat, e.g. if they eat a producer they will get
the sugars they made.
An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead
tissue, which effectively recycles their nutrients back to the
environment.
The connections between different organisms (plants and animals)
that rely upon one another as their source of food.
A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other
for food.
A set of processes whereby organisms extract nutrients (e.g.
nitrogen, potash, and potassium) necessary for growth from soil or
water, before passing them on through the food chain − and
ultimately back to the soil and water when they die.