key terms

• Ecosystem


  A community of organisms living in abiotic conditions - all depend on each other
• Biome

  A large scale ecosystem (e.g. desert)
• Biotic


  Living element of an ecosystem
• Abiotic

  Non-living element of an ecosystem
• what is the difference between a food web and a food chain

  food chain shows the single path of energy flow thru an ecosystem whereas

  food web shows multiple different pathways for energy flow
• Key biomes

  • Tundra
  • Desert
  • Taiga (coniferous forest)
  • Tropical rainforest
  • Temperate deciduous forest
  • Savanna grassland
  • Temperate grassland
  • Tropical rainforest
  • Coniferous forest
  • Tundra
  • Mediterranean
  • Hot desert
  • Grassland/savanna
  • Deciduous Forest
  • Chaparral or evergreen hardwood (Mediterranean)
• Tropical rainforest


  • Located along the equator
  • Climate is hot and precipitation levels are high
  • Many different species of plants and animals are found here - around half of all the world's species
• Taiga (coniferous forest)

  • Located in northern Russia and Canada
  • Evergreen coniferous trees thrive in this cool temperate climate
  • There is no sun for some months of the year due to the Earth's tilt
• Tundra

  • Generally located north of the Arctic Circle and on the edges of Antarctica
  • Very few plants and animals can survive here
  • Temperatures are below freezing for most of the year and it is windy and dry
• Mediterranean


  • Located around the Mediterranean Sea and parts of the USA and Australia
  • Drought resistant small trees and shrubs grow here
  • Hot sunny and dry summers and mild winters
• Hot desert

  • Located around the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
  • Conditions here are very hot and very dry
  • Plants and animals are specially adapted to survive in the harsh conditions
• Savanna grassland

  • Mainly found around central Africa
  • Dominated by grass with the occasional tree
  • Supports very large herbivores
  • There is a wetter and drier season with relatively constant temperatures
• Temperate deciduous forest

  • Found across Europe and the USA
  • Temperatures are mild and conditions are wet
  • These trees lose their leaves every year as there are cooler darker winters
• biodiversity definition 


  variety of plants and animals within a habitat e.g ecosystem, biome