Scheme of work Physical geography: Ecosystems under stress This resource is a scheme of work for our accredited AS and A-level Geography specifications (7036, 7037). This scheme of work is not exhaustive or prescriptive, it is designed to suggest activities and resources that you might find useful in your teaching. 3.1 Physical geography Physical option 3.1.6 Ecosystems under stress Specification content Week number Subject-specific skills development Learning outcomes Suggested learning activities (including ref to differentiation and extension activities) Resources Week 1 Ecosystems and sustainability The concept of biodiversity. and global trends in biodiversity. Causes, rates and potential impacts of declining biodiversity. Ecosystems and their importance for human populations in the light of continuing population growth and economic development. Human Use of key and technical terminology. To identify connections and interrelationships between different aspects of geography. Labelling and annotation of diagrams. Identifying, finding and using a variety of sources of Students to have an overview of the concept of the terms ‘biodiversity’, ‘ecosystems’ and ‘sustainability’ as used by geographers. Students will become familiar with terms including: biological diversity measuring biodiversity - indicator species, species richness, living planet index trends in biodiversity – global trends, mass extinctions, factors contributing to changing biodiversity. Students will be able to evaluate the importance of ecosystems for Small group discussion/Q&A followed by feedback – what does the term biodiversity mean? Students to use textbooks, library or the internet to identify and global trends in biodiversity. Causes, rates and potential impacts of declining biodiversity. group discussion/Q&A followed by feedback – what is meant by the term ecosystem? The concept of biodiversity: Short clip and lesson ‘Why is biodiversity so important?’ : (includes links to other , including data and maps and some teaching ideas) ( from United Nations Environment Programme report) (with to journal articles in the ‘Resources’ section. specific
create negative and positive feedback diagrams. Ensure students have definitions of key terms used so far. All of the above provide opportunity for an independent research task. Students given a brief to research and create a short report on the key ideas relating to the concepts of biodiversity and ecosystems. Various opportunities above to assess learning with a range of exam-style questions and peer assessment. Week 2-3 Ecosystems and processes Nature of ecosystems – their structure, energy flows, trophic levels, food chains and food webs. Application of systems concepts to ecosystems – inputs, outputs, stores and transfers of energy and materials. Concepts of biomass and net primary production. Concepts of succession: seral stages, climatic Use of key and technical terminology. Opportunities to develop skills such as drawing, labelling and annotating diagrams. Online research into ecosystems and processes. Construct and annotate a range of graphs and use statistical skills. Students will understand the nature of ecosystems, including: their structure – the two main components: abiotic components – such as rain, wind, temperature, altitude, soil, pollution, nutrients, pH, types of soil, sunlight biotic components – producers, consumers, decomposers. energy flows – ecosystems as open systems (see below) trophic levels food chains food webs. Opportunity to construct a range of diagrams to illustrate the nature of ecosystems including: their structure energy flows trophic levels food chains food webs. Opportunity to use a range of exam question types and peer assessment for students to test their understanding of each of the above. Paired/small group discussion to identify the inputs, The nature of ecosystems: Structure of ecosystems: Ecosystems – energy flows: Trophic levels and food webs: Systems and energy flows: specific
climax, sub-climax and plagioclimax. Mineral nutrient cycling. Nature of terrestrial ecosystems and the between climate, vegetation, soil and topography which produce them. Ecosystem responses to changes in one or more of their components or environmental controls. Factors influencing the changing of ecosystems, including climate change and exploitation of the global environment. Developing extended writing skills. Using atlas maps. Producing annotated maps. Practising exam-style questions. Including the use of peer assessment. Conducting independent and group research tasks. Making within, across and beyond this area of the specification. Report writing. Students will understand the application of systems concepts to ecosystem, including: inputs – Sun (solar radiation), plants (dispersal), animals (migration), Soil organic matter (erosion/deposition) outputs – longwave radiation, heat, dispersal of plants, migration of animals, erosion/ leaching of soil organic matter sores and transfers of energy and materials – including ideas such as photosynthesis, biomass, consumption, decomposition, maintenance, respiration, heat transfers and outputs. Students will understand the concepts of: biomass in an ecosystem – community biomass; amount of one species; decaying material net primary productivity - including the ideas of primary productivity and of gross primary productivity. Students will be able to evaluate the concept of succession, including: seral stages climatic climax sub-climax plagioclimax. Students will be able to evaluate the role of mineral nutrient cycling outputs and stores and transfers in ecosystems. Opportunity for students to use textbook, library or internet resources to help produce a generic systems diagram to illustrate the inputs and outputs of a typical ecosystem. They should also construct a diagram to illustrate the generalised energy flow and heat loss through an ecosystem. Students to research the concepts of biomass and net primary productivity. Students to explore the concept of succession, including: seral stages climatic climax sub-climax plagioclimax. This may involve the production of a traditional set of revision notes. Small group research task to explore the role of mineral nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Including the nature of nutrient transfers – students to produce a set of revision notes and construct a diagram to illustrate a Net primary production: interesting NASA animation of Net Primary Productivity Succession: Bozeman science video clip CrashCourse video clip Mineral nutrient cycles: Terrestrial ecosystems: Human exploitation of ecosystems:
in ecosystems. Including the nature of nutrient transfers between the different nutrient stores: soil, litter and biomass. Students will be able to analyse and evaluate the between climate, vegetation, soil and topography and the characteristic terrestrial ecosystem they produce. Students will be able to assess how the terrestrial ecosystem responds to changes in one or more of their components or environmental controls. Students will be able to analyse and evaluate a range of factors influencing the changing of ecosystems, including: climate change and human exploitation of the global environment – elements may include: urban planning trade resources use rural land use leisure and recreation marine management flood and erosion management catchment management. model of the mineral nutrient cycle. When exploring the nature of terrestrial ecosystems and the inter-connections between climate, vegetation, soil and topography that shape them, and assessing how the terrestrial ecosystem responds to changes in one or more of their components or environmental controls. There is an opportunity for students to complete a research task into one ecosystem such as chalk downlands, leading to the production of a short report, research sheet, set of revision notes or electronic presentation. Small group/paired discussion to identify a range of factors influencing the changing of ecosystems. Opportunity for group research task into factors influencing the changing of ecosystems. Each individual to research one element (from below) and findings shared with the rest of the group: urban planning trade
resources use rural land use leisure and recreation marine management flood and erosion management catchment management. Opportunity to use a range of practice exam questions to assess learning. Week 3-4 Biomes The concept of the biome. The global distribution of major terrestrial biomes. The nature of two contrasting biomes: tropical rainforest and savanna grassland to include: the main characteristics of each biome ecological response to the climate, soil and soil moisture budget – adaptations by flora and fauna human activity and its impact on each biome typical development issues in each biome to include changes in population, economic development, agricultural extension Use of key and technical terminology. Opportunities to develop skills such as drawing, labelling and annotating diagrams. Online research into biomes. Construct a range of graphs and use statistical skills. Developing extended writing skills. atlas maps. Producing annotated maps. Practising exam style questions. Including the use of peer assessment. Students will understand the concept of the Including the factors that lead to their overall character, including: climate topography soil plant and animal life ecosystem functioning. Students will be able to analyse and evaluate the global distribution of major terrestrial biomes. Students will be able to analyse and evaluate the nature of two contrasting biomes – tropical rainforest and savanna grassland. Analysis and evaluation of the following: The main characteristics of each biome Ecological response to the climate, soil and soil moisture budget – adaptations by flora and fauna Human activity and its impact on each biome Small group discussion/Q&A – what is a biome? Students to find a map of the distribution of the major biomes/vegetation zones of the world. Paired discussion followed by annotation of map to try and identify factors affecting this distribution. Ensure students understand that the nature of a is influenced by: climate topography soil plant and animal life ecosystem functioning. Students should reflect on how they have completed previous geographical research, then be given clear instructions and guidance about creating a detailed study of two contrasting biomes – tropical rainforest The concept of biome; Terrestrial biomes: introductory video Tropical rainforests: - development issues Savanna grassland: - with introductory video - development issues - summary specific
The effects of human activity on succession – illustrated by one plagioclimax such as a heather moorland. Construct and a of graphs and use statistical skills. Developing extended writing skills. Using atlas maps. Producing annotated maps. Practising exam style questions. Including the use of peer assessment. Conducting independent and group research tasks. Making links within, across and beyond this area of the specification. Engage with remotely sensed satellite data. colonisation and successive plant cover of lichen, mosses, grasses and shrubs hydrolysis and chelation as the main weathering processes to help soil formation and liberate nutrients for further development and succession subsequent arrival of soil fauna and micro-organisms which speed up the rate of soil formation. (Specific detail will depend on the chosen ecosystem.) Students will be able to analyse and evaluate the succession and climatic climax of a hydrosere ecosystem in the British Isles. Any ecosystem in the British Isles which starts in a freshwater lake or pool. Students may address the following: the early colonization of rushes, reeds and sedges waterlogged posing problems of nutrient availability the role of plants like Alder and Bog Myrtle in fixing atmospheric nitrogen climax of terrestrial shrubs and trees as soil levels build up above the water table. (Specific detail will depend on the chosen ecosystem.) Students will reinforce the concept of climatic climax, and be able to analyse and evaluate the with each partner working on one ecosystem and then sharing their findings. Group discussion about what students think are the characteristics of the climatic climax in the UK. Students could construct a small project on the temperate deciduous woodland biome as found in the British Isles. This should include: distribution within the British Isles characteristics – climate, vegetation, structure (canopy sub canopy layer, herb layer), succession stages, vegetation adaptations. Students could be encouraged to be creative in the method used to present their findings. These could be traditional reports, revision sheets, mind maps, or electronic presentations to share on a VLE. (There are opportunities for students to work together, or independently.) discussion – in what ways do students think human activity affects Education Scotland resources on Moorland
temperate deciduous woodland to include: distribution within the British Isles characteristics – climate, vegetation, structure (canopy sub canopy layer, herb layer), succession stages, vegetation adaptations. (Specific detail will depend on the chosen supporting example.) Students will be able to evaluate the effects of human activity on succession – illustrated by one plagioclimax such as a heather moorland. Areas of study may include: the concept of plagioclimax characteristics of heather moorland – including distribution, soils, fauna and flora human impacts including arresting factors: harvesting, grazing, burning secondary succession (Specific detail will depend on the chosen ecosystem.) succession? What is a plagioclimax? Students to work in pairs to produce a report/ presentation/electronic resource to evaluate the impacts of human activity on succession in heather moorland. This should include material on: the concept of plagioclimax characteristics of heather moorland – including distribution, soils, fauna and flora human impacts including arresting factors: harvesting, grazing, burning secondary succession. There is opportunity here to discuss or debate findings as a class. (Specific detail will depend on the chosen ecosystem.) Opportunity to use a range of practice exam questions to assess learning. Week 7-8 Marine ecosystems The distribution and main characteristics of coral reef ecosystems. Environmental conditions Use of key and technical terminology. Opportunities to develop skills such as drawing, labelling Students will be able to evaluate the distribution and main characteristics of coral reef ecosystems, including: deep-sea coral reefs tropical coral reefs. Q&A/group discussion to ascertain what students know about coral reef ecosystems. Students to produce an annotated map to illustrate - simple introduction to coral reefs specific
associated with reef development. The following aspects should be examined with reference to a named, located coral reef: Factors in the health and survival of reefs: natural: temperature, acidity, salinity, algal blooms. human activity and its impacts: major drainage basin schemes, onshore development, desalination, pollution, tourism, fishing. future prospects for coral reefs. and annotating diagrams. Online research into marine ecosystems – reefs. Construct and a range of graphs and use statistical skills. Developing extended writing skills. atlas maps. Using weather maps. Producing annotated maps. Practising exam style questions. Including the use of peer assessment. Conducting independent and group research tasks. Making links within, across and beyond this area of the specification. Engage with remotely sensed satellite data. Students will be able to analyse the conditions associated with reef development. Students will be able to analyse and evaluate factors in the health and survival of a named located coral reef system, to include: natural: temperature, acidity, salinity, algal blooms. human activity and its impacts: major drainage basin schemes, onshore development, desalination, pollution, tourism, fishing. future prospects for reefs. (Specific detail will depend on the chosen supporting example.) the distribution of coral reef ecosystems. Research task for students to produce an assessment of the characteristics of reef systems and the conditions associated with their development. Opportunity for independent/paired or group research task. Students to be given clear instructions to conduct research into a named, located coral reef. This should cover the factors in the health and survival of reefs: natural: temperature, acidity, salinity, algal blooms. human activity and its impacts: Major drainage basin schemes, onshore development, desalination, pollution, tourism, fishing. future prospects for coral reefs. Students could be encouraged to be creative in the method used to present their findings. These could be traditional reports, revision sheets, mind maps, or electronic presentations to share on a VLE. Resources for case studies will depend on those chosen by the individual student/centre. Factors in the health and survival of coral reefs: - coral bleaching impacts. - tourism and recreational impacts. - human activities that threaten coral reefs. - short summary video clip of some threats to coral refs. Future prospects for coral reefs: - BBC article with some excellent images. – Prof David Bellwood on issues facing coral reefs.