Ecosystem - The links between plants,
animals and non living things around them
The environment is the natural or physical
surroundings where plants and animals live
The non-living environment includes
rocks, soil, the air and climate
The living environment includes
animals, birds, fish, insects and people
An ecosystem is the interaction of plants and
animals with their non-living surroundings
A natural ecosystem is a community of plants
and animals unaffected by human activity
Biome - An ecosystem on a global scale
(e.g Savannah, Tropical Rainforest)
FACTORS THAT
AFFECT BIOMES
Prevailing Winds
The direction of the wind. Comes
from the ocean (maritime
region:will bring precipitation)
(continental region:will bring dry
conditions). Winds from the sea are
wet, winds from land dry.
Latitude
Heat at the surface of the
Earth is not spread evenly.
Due to the curvature of the
Earth, the same amount of
sunlight is spread out. It is
hotter closer to the equator
and cooler at the poles.
Altitude
Large mountains are colder because
of the lapse rate. Also they are wetter
on the wind ward side and have rain
shadows leeward sides because they
cause relief rainfall. Mountains cause
their own climates - colder and wetter.
Air Pressure
There are belts around the earth
where air rises causing high pressure.
In low pressure areas the air rises;
cools and causes precipitation. In high
pressure areas the air sinks, warms
and causes clear skies. Air rising:wet.
Air sinking:dry.
HOW DOES LATITUDE AFFECT BIOMES?
Latitude is a major factor in
controlling temperature. The heat
at the surface of the Earth is not
spread evenly. Due to the
curvature of the Earth, the same
amount of sunlight is spread over a
much greater area in the Polar
Regions than at the Equator. This
is purely due to the suns heat/light
travelling in straight lines before
hitting the curved surface of the
Earth. Due to this same
relationship, the suns rays also
have to pass through a greater
thickness of atmospheres.