Ecosystems: Need to Ecosystems: Need to KnowKnow

Distribution, characteristics Distribution, characteristics and adaptation of three and adaptation of three

ecosystems (coniferous and rain ecosystems (coniferous and rain forests and savannah forests and savannah

grasslands)grasslands) Human activity and impact on Human activity and impact on

each ecosystem. each ecosystem.

Ecosystems: KeywordsEcosystems: Keywords BiodiversityBiodiversity

Coniferous woodlandConiferous woodland EcosystemEcosystem HydrologyHydrology

Savanna GrasslandSavanna Grassland Slash and burnSlash and burn

SoilSoil Tropical Rain ForestTropical Rain Forest

DeforestationDeforestation Desertification Desertification

Sustainable DevelopemntSustainable Developemnt

What is an Ecosystem?What is an Ecosystem?

A community of plants and animals which interact with A community of plants and animals which interact with each other and with the non-living environment.each other and with the non-living environment.

Living Creatures

Ecosystem Links

Vegetation

Energy from the sun

Rocks and Soil

Climate

Nutrient cycle

Nutrient Cycle

Twigs and leaves fall to the ground and become ‘litter’

Decomposition (breaking down) of litter by termites, fungi and bacteria

Nutrients enter the soil

Soil is fertile

Dense vegetation

What are the What are the worlds major worlds major ecosystems ecosystems (biomes)? (biomes)?

Coniferous Coniferous forestforest

otherwise known as: otherwise known as:

Taiga or Taiga or BorealBoreal

Reasons for distribution Reasons for distribution of Coniferous Forestof Coniferous Forest

Very cold winters Very cold winters Strong windsStrong winds

Short warm summersShort warm summers Low annual precipitationLow annual precipitation

Only a few types of tree (pine, spruce) can survive the cold = no biodiversity

Plant adaptationsPlant adaptations

Conical shape (flexible, bend in Conical shape (flexible, bend in strong winds)strong winds)

Downward sloping branches (snow Downward sloping branches (snow slides off)slides off)

Needle leaves (Water loss by Needle leaves (Water loss by transpiration reduced)transpiration reduced)

Thick Bark (Protects from cold, sap Thick Bark (Protects from cold, sap contains anti freeze)contains anti freeze)

Evergreen (Must be ready for short Evergreen (Must be ready for short growing seasonsgrowing seasons

Animal AdaptationsAnimal Adaptations

Colour changeColour change FurFur HibernationHibernation Dig for foodDig for food

Human ImpactsHuman Impacts

Deforestation Deforestation TourismTourism Acid RainAcid Rain

Tropical Rainforest Tropical Rainforest LocationLocation

Tropical Rainforest Tropical Rainforest ClimateClimate

Hot all year roundHot all year round Wet all yearWet all year High annual rainfallHigh annual rainfall No SeasonsNo Seasons Vegetation needs both of theseVegetation needs both of these Extensive species eg mahogany and Extensive species eg mahogany and teak (massive bio diversity)teak (massive bio diversity)

Only restriction to growth is access Only restriction to growth is access to sunlightto sunlight

Leads to five Leads to five layerslayers

Great density of Great density of vegetationvegetation

Great heightGreat height Massive Massive biodiversitybiodiversity

Evergreen trees Evergreen trees (constant growth)(constant growth)

Thin BarksThin Barks Adaptations to Adaptations to reach sunlightreach sunlight

Soils - LatosolsSoils - Latosols Deep soilDeep soil Red in colourRed in colour However high rainfall However high rainfall creates similar creates similar conditions to conditions to podsols, thin humus, podsols, thin humus, rapid leaching then rapid leaching then depositiondeposition

Minerals held in Minerals held in large quantity of large quantity of leaf litter which is leaf litter which is rapidly recycledrapidly recycled

Traditional Human Traditional Human ImpactImpact

Traditionally impact minimalTraditionally impact minimal Access difficult Access difficult Hot, humid climate with many Hot, humid climate with many pestspests

Latosol soil soon found to be Latosol soil soon found to be infertile on removal of infertile on removal of vegetationvegetation

Highly specialised nomadic Highly specialised nomadic cultures only survived wellcultures only survived well

RESOURCESRESOURCESTRANSPORTTRANSPORT

FARMINGFARMINGSETTLEMENTSSETTLEMENTS

Modern Human Impact

RESOURCESRESOURCES

TRANSPORTTRANSPORT

SETTLEMENTSSETTLEMENTS

FARMINGFARMING

RESOURCESRESOURCESTRANSPORTTRANSPORT

FARMINGFARMINGSETTLEMENTSSETTLEMENTS

Modern Human Impact

Leads To DEFFORESTATION

ConsequencesConsequences

What is What is Sustainable Sustainable development?development?

What is sustainable What is sustainable development?development?

"Development that meets the "Development that meets the needs of the present without needs of the present without compromising the ability of compromising the ability of future generations to meet future generations to meet their own needs."their own needs." - The United - The United Nations World Commission on Nations World Commission on Environment and Development Environment and Development

Liana projectLiana project Founded in 1995, the Liana Project Founded in 1995, the Liana Project coordinates the efforts of skilled coordinates the efforts of skilled people within the forest communities of people within the forest communities of the Brazilian Government’s Extractive the Brazilian Government’s Extractive Reserves. Reserves.

By creating locally controlled micro-By creating locally controlled micro-enterprises that use sustainably enterprises that use sustainably harvested vines and natural fibers to harvested vines and natural fibers to make furniture and decorative goods, the make furniture and decorative goods, the project integrates forest conservation, project integrates forest conservation, local economic development, and the local economic development, and the preservation of traditional skills. preservation of traditional skills.

There are six aimsThere are six aims

Improve quality of life of localsImprove quality of life of localsProvide secure income for localsProvide secure income for localsDevelop ways of increasing Develop ways of increasing production without debtproduction without debt

To conserve the environmentTo conserve the environmentTo encourage re-useTo encourage re-useTo develop technology which is To develop technology which is appropriate to the skills, wealth appropriate to the skills, wealth and needs of localsand needs of locals

Products made with Products made with amazonian fibresamazonian fibres

You MUST know a full You MUST know a full case study for human case study for human impact in a Tropical impact in a Tropical

rainforest – rainforest – recommend AMAZONrecommend AMAZON

Where do we find tropical Where do we find tropical grasslands?grasslands?

Climate graph for Mopti (Mali)

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20

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january februarymarch

april may june julyaugust

septemberoctober

november december

Months

Rainfall (mm)

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rainfall

Temperature

Climate Graph for Serengeti, Tanzania

Tropical Tropical Grassland/SavannaGrassland/Savanna

Tall tufted grasses with the Tall tufted grasses with the occasional tree or shruboccasional tree or shrub

Close to streams and rivers Close to streams and rivers cover including trees may cover including trees may increaseincrease

Moderate biodiversityModerate biodiversity Two main layers of vegetationTwo main layers of vegetation Extensive animal lifeExtensive animal life

Savanna SoilSavanna Soil

Hot temps = high evaporation Hot temps = high evaporation ratesrates

Upward movement of water carries Upward movement of water carries dissolved minerals eg calciumdissolved minerals eg calcium

Minerals deposited in upper Minerals deposited in upper layers = rich soillayers = rich soil

Litter layer large especially at Litter layer large especially at the start of the dry seasonthe start of the dry season

Decomposition rapid in wet Decomposition rapid in wet season, much slower in dry seasonseason, much slower in dry season

AdaptatiAdaptation on

Areas of bare ground Areas of bare ground Drought Resistance – deciduous Drought Resistance – deciduous trees that lose leaves during trees that lose leaves during dry season. bdry season. b

Scavengers – an essential Scavengers – an essential part of the food chainpart of the food chain

Flora of tropical Flora of tropical grasslandsgrasslands

How is this plant adapted How is this plant adapted to its environment?to its environment?

How has How has this this tree tree

adapted adapted to the to the

climate?climate?

ECOTOURISMECOTOURISM

Case Study: The Case Study: The SerengetiSerengeti

The biggest threat The biggest threat facing tropical facing tropical grasslands is grasslands is

desertificationdesertification

DESERTIFICATIONDESERTIFICATION What is What is desertificationdesertification??

Desertification is when a desert gradually spreads to the surrounding areas of semi-desert

DESERTIFICATIONDESERTIFICATION What is What is desertificationdesertification??

Desertification is when a desert gradually spreads to the surrounding areas of semi-desert

As tropical grassland buffers the edge of many deserts it is particularly vulnerable to desertification

What might cause What might cause desertification?desertification?

Brainstorm your ideasBrainstorm your ideas

MEMORY MAPSMEMORY MAPS

Drought in the Sahel

* * * * NEWS FLASH * * * *

MONDAY 22ND MARCH 1973

DROUGHTS HAVE PLAGUED THE LAND HERE IN THE SAHEL STRETCHING FROM WEST AFRICA EASTWARDS FOR FIVE YEARS BUT IS DROUGHT HERE REALLY THE PROBLEM?

• LAND USE PRACTISES HAVE CAUSED THE DEATHS OF MORE THAN 100,000 PEOPLE

• OVER 12 MILLION CATTLE HAVE DIED

• SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED ON A NATIONAL SCALE

The SAHELThe SAHELThe Sahel is located in the southern region of the Sahara desert, Africa.

The Sahel regions are areas which The Sahel regions are areas which experienceexperience

desertification.desertification.

Why does the Sahel suffer from Why does the Sahel suffer from desertification?desertification?

DESERTIFICATION

Increase in population Increase in cattle

Deforestation for fire wood Grassland grazed more intensively

Roots no longer hold soil together Roots may be eaten as well as grass

Leaves no longer protect soil from weatherLess vegetation means less protection from weather

Loose top soil blown away by wind

(Soil Erosion)

=

Loose top soil blown away by wind

(Soil Erosion)

=DESERTIFICATION