This is the start of your Year

12 HSC Course if you only want to do Year 11

you will need to see me
about a research project
based on fieldwork please
come to class next Tuesday
to discuss
This work is integrated with
the work on BIOSPHERE from
our Yr 11 section.

Year 12 Topic syllabus

overview
Ecosystems at Risk

Students learn about:

ecosystems and their management

case studies of ecosystems
Plus TWO case studies of different
ecosystems at risk to illustrate their
unique characteristics our case studies
will be inter-tidal wetlands and coral reefs
focussing on Salt Pan Creek and the Great
Barrier Reef.
You must study both the case studies and
overview work on ecosystems.

Ecosystems at Risk:
The Biosphere is that part of the earths
surface where all life occurs. It extends
from sea level to over 9,000 metres high
and to a depth of nearly 10,000 metres.
This is the zone that supports all life on
earth.
Biomes are large complex regions of the
biosphere such as forests or grasslands that
have similar climate or vegetation features
eg. Tropical rainforests, deserts, savanna
grasslands, coniferous forests, alpine. (see
next slide for the variety of biomes on
earth).

The earths biomes

The Earth has many different environments, varying in temperature, moisture, light, and many
other factors. Each of these habitats has distinct life forms living in it, forming complex
communities of interdependent organisms. A complex community of plants and animals
in a region and a climate is called a biome.
Some of the biomes on Earth include:
Desert - very dry, either hot or cold
Tundra - cool, treeless, and dry
Chaparral or scrub - coastal area with hot, dry summers and mild, cool, rainy winters
Taiga or Coniferous Forest - cool and dry, with coniferous trees
Temperate Deciduous Forest - cool and rainy, with deciduous trees
Grassland - Windy, partly dry sea of grass with few trees, including tropical savanna, prairie,
steppe, pampas, etc.
Mountain biomes: there are a lot of different mountainous biomes, from grasslands at low
altitudes, taiga (coniferous forests) below the treeline, and alpine (the same as tundra)
Temperate Rain Forest - cool and wet
Tropical Rain Forest - warm and very wet
Land Caves - cool and dark
Wetlands - there are many types of wetlands, including swamps, marshes, moors, bogs, fens,
sloughs, etc.
Freshwater Marsh - a wetland located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes
Temperate ponds

What are ecosystems?

Ecosystem - an area that contains
organisms (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria)
interacting with one another and their nonliving environment. Ecosystems can be of
any size (e.g., forest, pond).
Ecosystems may be classified according to
their CLIMATE (eg. Alpine or desert),
VEGETATION (eg. Tropical rainforest or
savanna grassland), PHYSICAL FEATURES (eg.
Coral reefs), TERRESTRIAL (eg. Land based
such as grasslands or deserts) or AQUATIC
(eg. Freshwater or saltwater such as coral
reefs or wetlands).

Variations in complexity and

scale
Ecosystems vary in complexity and
scale from the Great Barrier Reef in
north Queensland which extends for
over 2,000 km, has over 2,000 fish
species and 500 coral species to that
of a pond or sand dune system on a
beach.

BIOPHYSICAL INTERACTIONS
The interactions of the biosphere,
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere
together
The interaction of food chains feeding
relationships and population changes
The interaction of biogeochemical cycles
such as Carbon-Oxygen cycle, Nitrogen
cycles,
The interaction of fires, storms, floods
INTERACTIONS MEANS :
SOMETHING HAPPENS -> LEADS TO AN
ACTION/EFFECT/IMPACT

More terms
BIODIVERSITY the variety of species or life forms and includes:
GENETIC DIVERSITY variations in the genetics of individuals within a
species
SPECIES DIVERSITY the variety of species within different habitats
ECOLOGICAL DIVERSITY the variety of biological communities that
interact within their non-living environment
OTHER TERMS TO KNOW:
FOOD CHAIN set of organisms, each eating or feeding on the preceding
one eg. Grass -> grasshopper -> bird
FOOD WEB the network of interconnected food chains
HERBIVORE organisms that consume plants as their only food source
CARNIVORE organisms that consume meat as their only source of food
OMNIVORE organisms that consume both plants and meat as food
BIOMASS The total mass of living matter within a given unit of
environmental area.
SUCCESSION is the change in the structure and species combination of a
plant community thus leading to a more complex community over time.

The most productive areas in

the world given their natural
Map below)
production
of living matter
are.
swamps and marshes: 2500
g/m/yr of biomass
tropical rain forests: 2000 g/m/yr of biomass
algal beds and reefs: 2000 g/m/yr of biomass
river estuaries: 1800 g/m/yr of biomass
temperate forests: 1200 g/m/yr of biomass
cultivated lands: 600 g/m/yr of biomass
deserts and tundras: less than 200 g/m/yr of biomass
This is based on Net primary production which is the rate at which
biomass is generated in a given area, mainly due to photosynthesis.

Board of Studies Syllabus

Outcomes
The student:
H1 explains the changing nature, spatial patterns and interaction of ecosystems, urban
places and economic activity
H2 explains the factors which place ecosystems at risk and the reasons for their
protection
H5 evaluates environmental management strategies in terms of ecological sustainability
H6 evaluates the impacts of, and responses of people to, environmental change
H7 justifies geographical methods applicable and useful in the workplace and relevant to
a changing world
H8 plans geographical inquiries to analyse and synthesise information from a variety of
sources
H9 evaluates geographical information and sources for usefulness, validity and reliability
H10
applies maps, graphs and statistics, photographs and fieldwork to analyse and
integrate data in geographical contexts
H11
applies mathematical ideas and techniques to analyse geographical data
H12
explains geographical patterns, processes and future trends through
appropriate case studies and illustrative examples
H13
communicates complex geographical information, ideas and issues effectively,
using appropriate written and/or oral, cartographic and graphic forms.

ecosystems and their

management
biophysical interactions which lead to diverse
ecosystems and their functioning
vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems
impacts due to natural stress
impacts due to human induced modifications to energy
flows, nutrient cycling, and relationships between biophysical
components
the importance of ecosystem management and
protection
maintenance of genetic diversity
utility values
intrinsic values
heritage values
need to allow natural change to proceed
evaluation of traditional and contemporary management
strategies.

case studies of ecosystems

TWO case studies of different ecosystems at
risk
* spatial patterns and dimensions: location, altitude, latitude, size, shape
and continuity
* biophysical interactions including:

the dynamics of weather and climate

geomorphic and hydrologic processes such as earth movements,

weathering, erosion, transport and deposition, soil formation

biogeographical processes: invasion, succession, modification, resilience

adjustments in response to natural stress

* the nature and rate of change which affects ecosystem functioning
* human impacts (both positive and negative)
* traditional and contemporary management practices.
The selected ecosystems at risk could include areas such as coastal dunes,
freshwater wetlands, inter-tidal wetlands, coral reefs, arid areas, alpine areas,
rainforests, temperate forests.

You need to know what

these mean!

spatial patterns and dimensions

biophysical interactions
the nature and rate of change
human impacts
traditional and contemporary
management

spatial patterns and

dimensions
Where is it?
Size?
Extent?

This is how you should write an

opening paragraph or similar....
Underline key facts, figures, location,
dimensions.
SPATIAL PATTERN & DIMENSIONS
Coral Reef ecosystems are located in
tropical seas from Latitudes 30N to 30S
of the equator where waters are clear, high
in oxygen and free of sediment from depths
of 2 to 30m. These areas include the
Caribbean, the south Pacific and the Great
Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is
the largest known coral reef system in the
world. It is located from 8S to 24S
extending some 2,300 km and consisting of
2,900 individual reefs and 600 islands an
area of approximately 348,700 km and
extends from Cape York to near
Bundaberg or similar information.

This is what
your sketch
map should
look like....you
can add more
detail or use
coloured
pencils, print,
do not use
textas/highlig
hter pens, use
PENCIL.

biophysical interactions
lead to diverse
ecosystems....
Consider any
interactions between the living and non-living

components of the environment between and within one

another
CAUSE -> EFFECT
How one thing leads to another.....to create this ecosystem
Eg. Food Chains, Food Webs, how the conditions of the
natural environment work together to allow coral reefs to
survive, how the zooxanthellae work symbiotically to allow
the coral to survive; how coral bleaching occurs; how silt
affects the coral reef ; how coral atols form and get
colonised by plants (succession); changes in sea level over
time have lead to the reef developing where it is......
DEFINE ECOSYSTEMS at the start of the paragraph

Another approach is...

To use BIOSHPERE, LITHOSPHERE,
ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE
interactions
How one leads to another......
Can be difficult to write.....

the nature and rate of

change

What types of change are occuring natural

or human induced?
Human induced is causing more rapid
change! Learn some key facts/rates of
change statements.
How vulnerable or resilient is the coral reef?
Define VULNERABILITY
Define RESILIENCE remember...the more
diverse, the greater the extent and the more
food web linkages the more resilient!

Natural Change

Cyclones
Sea levels over geological time
Organisms....
...

Human Induced Change you

need rates of change, numbers,
places,....
Siltation

Global Warming bleaching episodes dates!

acidification and weakening
of coral structures
sea level changes
Anchor damage
Dynamite fishing
Overfishing
Pollution
.....etc....

Human Impacts
This is the easiest concept human impacts
both POSITIVE and NEGATIVE
Positive includes making marine parks,
educating people, setting bag limits on fishing
catches, creating sediment traps in catchment
areas emptying onto the reef, policing to
ensure marine park remains viable.......
Negative the easiest to write......siltation of
the reef, cyanide and dynamite fishing in coral
reefs in developing nations.....

traditional and contemporary

management
Traditional traditional societies/native
people eg. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islanders still can hunt some endangered
animals as part of local customs but taboos
and tribal beliefs limit killing of certain
animals ...stewardship...respect for
environment....part of belief system.....
Contemporary modern, current practices.
eg. Zoning activities such as Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park.

Example of Contemporary
Practice operating in GBR