Second and final topic within Physical Geography Global Challenge unit:

Ecosystems

Selected topic focus: Marine Ecosystems

Key questions:

1. What is a biome?

2. What is the global distribution of biomes?

3. What factors affect the global distribution of world biomes?

4. How does primary productivity differ in the major biomes?

An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals which interact with the environment and each other.

The world is dependent on the goods and services that ecosystems provide.

A biome is a global-scale ecosystem. There are eight main types of biome:

1. Tundra

2. Coniferous forest (boreal)

3. Temperate deciduous forest

4. Temperate grassland

8. Tropical rainforest

7. Savanna grassland5. Mediterranean (scrub with some trees)

6. Desert

What is the valueof ecosystems?

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Page 36. Task: Using the diagram describe the ecosystem variables that change from equator to pole.

Page 37, Q1 a and b