1.
Sustainable Biomes
Sustainable

2.
Lesson Intention:
Success Criteria:
• Describe what the topic is based on due to images shown
• I can create open ended questions
• I can discuss the ‘Why’
We can develop geographically
centered questions and help plan
an inquiry

3.
The Dystopian Future…
Imagine the world in 20 years time.
It is 2042 and you are about 35 years
old.

4.
VOCABULARY VIBE

5.
Scott Morrison and future Prime
Ministers ignored the warnings about
climate change.
I love money!
Climate
change isn’t
real!

6.
The Great Barrier Reef
has been destroyed.

7.
Australia has become a
giant coal and gas mine.

8.
President Trump Jr has
declared nuclear war against
North Korea and Russia

9.
Most of the world is suffering
from famine because the
environment has been poisoned

10.
Scientists are suggesting that we
abandon earth and leave for Mars

11.
What could
we have
done to stop
this?!

12.
But before we can save the
world, we need to understand
the different types of habitats
on earth, especially the ones
that grow our food!

13.
Pre-Test
You will be provided with a map and a
list of Biomes that are present all over
the world. (a map displaying countries
will be put on the smart)
Your task is to use your knowledge of
the world's environment and climates
and colour code the map with reference
to the Biomes List. You will have 20
minutes to complete this task to the
best of your abilities.
We will then come back to this task at
the end of the unit to see your
progress.

14.
Lesson Intention:
Success Criteria:
• Describe what a biome is (definition)
• I can create a graphic organiser connecting biomes to countries, continents and characteristics.
• I can connect biomes to their characteristics e.g. climate
We can develop an
understanding of what a biome is
and distinguish the difference
between a terrestrial and aquatic
biomes.

15.
Unit Overview
▪ Why are biomes located where they
are?
▪ What do biomes provide for humans?
▪ Will climate impact the productivity of
biomes?
▪ Can technology help our most
productive biomes?
▪ How can people get more from biomes?
▪ Can we guarantee food for the future
population?
▪ How can Australia help food security
worldwide?
Looking at this picture, what do you think a biome is?

16.
Part 1: Investigating Biomes
A biome is a region that shares similar and distinctive climates, soils and vegetation. The tundra
lands biome, for example, is characterised by very cold climates, extreme winds and very
limited plant and animal diversity. In contrast, the tropical rainforest biome is characterised by a
warm and wet climate, highly weathered soils and thick, lush vegetation.
In this topic you will explore eight diverse biomes: polar lands, tundra, boreal (Taiga) forest,
mountain vegetation, temperate forest, grassland, desert and tropical rainforest.

17.
What is a Biome?
▪ Geographers divide the Earth’s surface into a number of distinct regions.
▪ Each region has particular features that make it different from other regions.
▪ One region may be hot and rainy most of the time, for example, and another might be dry
and cold.
▪ This means the plant and animal life found there functions, adapts and interacts according to
the conditions of the region it inhabits.
▪ A biome is a region that shares similar and unique climates, soils and vegetation.
Copy heading
and dot points

18.
Terrestrial or Land Biomes
▪ The terrestrial or the land biomes are categorized according to the climate conditions and the
vegetation of the region in which they are found.
▪ The vegetation also called the biological community of plants, animals, birds and other living
species that is stable and dominant after the numerous years of evolutionary development.
Tundra Desert
Savana Mountain Vegetation
Grasslands Rain forest
Polar region Tropical forest
Taiga (Boreal Forest) Northern Conifer Forest
Mediterranean scrub forest Temperate Deciduous Forest

19.
We are going to
create a graphic
organiser and
use this map as
reference.

20.
Part 1: Investigating Biomes
Biome Country Continent Characteristics

21.
Characteristics
▪ Polar Lands: Antarctica
▪ Long cold winters
▪ Soil covered in ice
▪ Few plants can survive
▪ Animals such as Penguins, polar bears and arctic fox
▪ Tundra: North America
▪ Extreme cold climate
▪ Limited biodiversity (plants and animals)
▪ Boreal (Taiga) Forest: Russia + Siberia
▪ Extreme variations in climate (freezing to hot)
▪ Coniferous trees (do not drop leaves, soak up sun)
▪ Dry – limited rainfall
▪ Thin soil layer
▪ Grasslands: Every continent but Antarctica
▪ Vegetation is grass dominant
▪ Semi-arid climate
▪ Rainfall enough to support vegetation
▪ Often exploited for agriculture
▪ Desert: Australia
• Hot and dry
• Barren landscape with limited vegetation
• Less then 10 inches of annual rainfall
▪ Mountain Vegetation: Algeria
▪ Only exists in high altitudes 10000 feet ASL
▪ Summer 15 degrees – winter can be in minus
▪ windy with erratic weather patterns

22.
Characteristics
▪ Tropical Forests: Queensland and Amazon
▪ High animal and vegetation biodiversity
▪ Typically called rainforests
▪ High rainfall – rains almost everyday
▪ They are primarily found within the Tropic of
Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer.
▪ Can take up to 10min for a rain drop to hit the
ground due to dense foliage.
▪ Temperate Forest: Eastern Asia
▪ High levels of precipitation and humidity
▪ Deciduous trees – lose leaves in winter
▪ Thick nutrient soil

23.
Lesson Intention:
Success Criteria:
• I can identify what an aquatic biome is
• I can describe where aquatic biomes are and name several
• I can accurately map aquatic biomes
We can identify what an aquatic
biome is, where they are located
and their characteristics.

24.
1. You will be split into your table groups
Each group will be given these three images
Think about what characteristics each biome has
2. Each group will share their ideas and a
mind map of each biome created by the
teacher on the board – each group must
contribute.

25.
Describe the distribution of biomes in Australia.
AND
Where are the different biomes in Australia?

26.
VOCABULARY VIBE

27.
Aquatic Biomes
Aquatic biomes exist too. The world’s oceans, freshwater lakes, coral reefs and wetlands are
all examples of these biomes, which are dominated by water and the plants and animals that
call them home.
What are some
other examples
of aquatic
biomes?

28.
Aquatic Biomes
The aquatic biome is the largest of all the biomes, covering about 75 percent of Earth's
surface. This biome is usually divided into two categories: freshwater and marine.
Fresh Water Marine
Lakes Ocean
Rivers Estuaries
Streams
Wetlands

29.
Aquatic Biomes
Biome Example Characteristic
Create the following
table in your books
and use the
information from the
video on the next
slide to complete the
table.

30.
Aquatic Biomes

31.
Lesson Intention:
Success Criteria:
• I can list all 4 spheres that exist
• I can Identify how matter and energy change and cycle through the system as the
spheres interact
• I can analyse events and make a judgement about how that event impacts the sphere
We can understand the concept
of a ‘system’ as it applies to
earth.

32.
UNIT TERMINOLOGY

33.
Environmental Spheres
• What is the:
• Lithosphere
• Biosphere
• Hydrosphere
• Atmosphere?

34.
Environmental Spheres
• Earth's natural environment is made up of 4
interacting spheres.
1. The solid part of the earth's crust (rocks and soil)
is known as the lithosphere.
2. All of earth's water bodies, including lakes,
rivers, streams, oceans, groundwater and ice
caps, are known as the hydrosphere.
3. The layer of gases surrounding the earth is
known as the atmosphere.
4. All living things, including plants and animals,
make up the biosphere.
Earth's four spheres can be identified in the photograph.
Copy into your
book

35.
Are Biomes and Ecosystems the Same?
A biome is different from an ecosystem. An ecosystem is the living and non living things in
an environment that result from the interaction of environmental spheres. A biome is a
specific geographic area notable for the species living there.
OR
A biome is the habitat or environment, while an ecosystem is the interaction between living
and non-living things within that environment.
Copy one
definition

36.
Video on Biomes and Ecosystems
▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTaWsFct32g&feature=youtube
_gdata_player 16 minutes
▪ Fill in the table on your worksheet as the video plays

37.
Climate
Climate tells us the following about a place on the
earth:
▪ How much rain and snow falls. (precipitation)
▪ How hot or cold it is. (temperature)
▪ The number of hours that the sun shines (hours
of daylight).
▪ Climate is the weather a place has over a long
period of time (50 years). Weather may change
each day, but climate is the type of weather that
people expect for the region in which they live.
What is the difference between weather and climate?

38.
Climate Graphs
Climate Graphs are very useful in comparing
the annual temperature and rainfall of places
around the world. They are very easy to plot
and read.
These simple steps should show you how
to draw one and then how to read it.

39.
Steps to Plotting Climate Graphs
1. Plot on the rainfall as a column graph, coloured
blue.
2. Plot on the temperature as a line graph, coloured
red. The dots should be in the middle of the column.
3. Label the axes (rainfall, temperature and months)
and the heading (name of the place)
4. Find the total rainfall for the year (add all the bars
together)
5. Calculate the temperature range (the difference
between the highest temperature and the lowest
one). E.g Max 40C. Min -40C, range =80C

40.
Climate Graphs
▪ The blue bars show
the precipitation by
month.
The precipitation
scale is on the left
▪ The red dots on the
curved line show the
temperature by
month. The
temperature scale is
on the right.

41.
Climate graph for Newcastle:

42.
Worksheets
▪ Climate graph for Halifax, Nova
Scotia
▪ Climographs

43.
Transfer the data on these
graphs to complete your
own climate graph.
You will need to figure out
what the temperature
range and total
precipitation is for each
month.

44.
Grasslands
• Grasslands are found where it is too dry for forests and too wet for
deserts.
• Also known as prairies (USA), steppes (Asia) or savannahs
(Africa).
• Much of the world’s food and fibre comes from plants and animals
that live in the world’s grasslands.
• Rice, wheat and corn (which are all grasses) provide the bulk of
the human population’s food, and many animals that are farmed to
provide meat and milk also live in the grasslands biome.
African Savannah

45.
Grasslands
Much of Australia can be considered grassland and many of our native animals, such as
kangaroos, wallabies and wombats, thrive in this biome.
Australian grasslands

46.
• Grasslands are dotted with
individual trees, providing
little cover for the wildlife that
live there.
• Animal survival adaptations:
• The zebra’s stripes make it
difficult for a predator to
see it clearly.
• The giraffe has evolved in
such a way that its long
neck allows it to source
food at the tops of trees.
• Many are nocturnal,
allowing them to avoid the
main heat of the day e.g.
prairie dog, barn owl and
grey wolf
Grassland Animals
US Prairie
Mongolian Steppe

47.
Case Study: The American Prairie
It is estimated that 30 million bison lived in North
America in the 1500s. Within 400 years this had fallen to about
1000. In this photograph, taken in the 1870s, a pile of bison
skulls waits to be crushed for fertiliser. Worksheet

48.
Hot
Deserts
High daytime
temperature
Low night time
temperature
Soils are dry
and salty- little
can grow
Vegetation is
stunted and
widely spaced
Plants and
animals are
highly adapted
to their
surroundings

49.
Tropical Rainforests
▪ It is estimated that about half of all the plant, animal and insect species in the world live in
tropical forests.
▪ Many of these are among the wettest places on Earth and are therefore known as rainforests.
▪ They can be considered to make up the world’s richest biome and the abundance of life can
be astounding.

50.
Tropical Rainforests
In Brazil, for example,
researchers found that a
single pond contained
more fish species than
exist in all of Europe’s
rivers.

51.
Tropical Rainforests
In Peru, a single tree was
found to contain 43 ant
species; this is more than
the total number in all of
the British Isles.

52.
Tropical Rainforests
One hectare of South
American rainforest may
contain over 750 different
types of trees, and one-
fifth of all of the world’s
birds live in the Amazon
rainforest.

53.
Tropical Rainforests
▪ This explosion of life is due to the ideal
growing conditions that occur in the
tropics.
▪ These places experience the most stable
climate conditions on the planet with
virtually no seasonal changes in rainfall,
temperature or available sunlight
throughout the year.
▪ Most days are the same in the rainforest:
hot and wet. It rains virtually every day,
often in torrential downpours. The
temperature hovers between about
26°C and 32°C all year round.
Summarise into your books: Why do
rainforests produce such a large variety
of species?

54.
Describe the distribution of Eastern
Australia’s rainforests.
OR
Where do you find Australian rainforests?
Refer to particular places and states and use
compass directions in your answer.
Note: Rainforests
are also found in
the Northern
Territory and
Western
Australia

55.
Rainforests have provided humans
with many resources for thousands
of years.
These resources are known as
ecosystem services .
The Gifts of the Rainforest

56.
Flow Chart Worksheet-
Rainforests
Page 51 of textbook

57.
Rainforest Documentary
▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb3b-A6QAc8 8 mins
▪ The __________ benefits can never outweigh the _____ _____
costs.
▪ Doing so has far reaching ___________
on not only the region but the world.
▪ Once it’s _____ it can never be ______ .

58.
Video- Biomes That Produce Our Food
▪ https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=xp0Rz36hSzs
▪ 5 mins
▪ Think about how the land is
used and issues of
sustainability.

59.
Design a World Tour- Extension
Activity
Design a world tour that includes at least one
visit to each type of biome. Research where
you will go using a map that shows the world
biomes, and then list the countries you would
visit on this tour. Include some of the activities
you might do at each place, based on the
biome’s climate and geographical conditions.

60.
Changes to the Natural Environment
▪ The last ______ years have seen more ________ change to the
Earth’s _______ than in any other _______ in the Earth’s
________.
▪ Over _____ of the world’s ________ land area has been
_________ into __________ or housing to provide food,
________, shelter and _______ to the world’s people – and this
area is ___________.
▪ All around the world the _________ biomes of forests, _________,
tundra and even __________ are being converted into _________.

61.
Revision- Quick Write
▪ For the 1st 2 weeks of the term, we have looked at an
overview of biomes.
▪ What have you learnt/what is your understanding of this
topic?
▪ Write down your answer on the paper provided.

62.
Part 2-
Changing Biomes

63.
Brainstorm
How can humans change
the environment for their
benefit?
“Man” 3 ½ minutes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfGMYdalClU
Sample infographic:

64.
Changes to the Natural Environment
▪ The last 300 years have seen more extensive change to the Earth’s
biomes than in any other period in the Earth’s history.
▪ Over half of the world’s liveable land area has been converted into
farmland or housing to provide food, fibre, shelter and fuel to the
world’s people – and this area is expanding.
▪ All around the world the natural biomes of forests, grasslands,
tundra and even deserts are being converted into farms.
Write

65.
Human Change
To…
Vegetation
Soil Deserts
Water

66.
Source 1.24 shows the extent of biome
change around the world since 1700.
Answer these in your
book:
a Describe the change
to the amount of
wilderness areas from
1700 to 2000.
b Which 2 types of land
use have increased the
most? Why do you think
this is the case?

67.
Changing Vegetation
Farmers make many changes to the natural environment in
order to grow crops and raise farm animals. The greatest
changes are made to the natural vegetation.
1. Forests are cut down, burnt and replaced with a
single plant species
2. Wetlands and swamps are drained
3. Vast areas of native grasses are replaced with
crops such as wheat and rice.
Copy the
heading and
numbered
points

68.
For Against
“A small-scale farmer should have unlimited capacity to farm their own land for
the purpose of providing food for their family and community.”
OR
“A small-scale farmer should be able to do whatever they like with their own
land to grow food”.
1. Copy one of the quotes in your book.
2. Draw a table in your books like the one below.
3. Put in a few arguments for and against the statement above.
4. Underneath, write a paragraph-long answer where you give your own opinion of the
quote. Do you agree or disagree and why?

69.
Changes to Forests
• Around the world about 5 million
hectares of forest is converted
for agricultural use every year:
an area about two-thirds the size
of Tasmania.
• Most of this change takes place
in tropical forests, particularly in
South America.
• In Australia, around 50 million
hectares of forests and
woodland have been cleared for
farming or affected by logging
since European settlement.
Read only

70.
Deforestation in the Amazon

71.
Changes to Forests
• In the developing world, there is a strong link
between deforestation and poverty.
• Millions of people who live below the poverty line
and struggle to meet their daily food
requirements are becoming small-scale slash-and-
burn farmers.
• Over time, as soil fertility declines, the farmers
and their animals move into a new patch of forest
and begin the process again.
• In Madagascar, for example, where 80 per cent of
the population lives in poverty, only 10 per cent of
the natural forest remains.
Describe the link between poverty and deforestation in your own
words.

72.
What is Sustainability?
Sustainability addresses the ongoing
capacity of Earth to maintain all life.
Sustainable patterns of living meet
the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their needs.

73.
Case Study: Greening the Deserts
Sustainable?
• In Saudi Arabia, sections of the desert have been transformed into
farmland for the purpose of growing crops.
• These crops use the water from aquifers (groundwater) to survive
• In Saudi Arabia, water is extracted from the aquifers by drilling
deep into the ground under the desert floor and pumping it to the
surface sprinkler system.
Each circular field shown in green is
approximately 1 kilometre wide
• Geographers and environmental scientists now believe that this
type of farming has become unsustainable – both environmentally
and economically.
• In time, supplies of water in the aquifer will become totally depleted
as they are being used far more quickly than they can be
replenished.
• The high cost associated with accessing water from the aquifers
also means that crops grown in this way will soon become too
expensive to buy.
Is using this groundwater a sustainable practice?
Why or why not?

74.
Changes to Grasslands
• Because the world’s most
important food crops − rice, wheat
and corn − are grasses, they grow
best in the world’s grasslands
biome. However, clearing of native
grasses to plant these crops can
have devastating effects on the
natural environment.
• Across much of Australia, North
and South America, Asia and
Africa, native grasses have been
cleared and replaced by these
three crops to provide food.
Impact
on
Biome
Harvesting
makes soil
less fertile
Chemical
fertilisers
affect soil and
cause
pollution
Pesticides
pollute air,
soil and water
Exposed soil
can be
washed away
by wind and
water

75.
Case Study: Palm Oil and Orangutans

76.
Topographic Maps
▪ Topographic maps have been overlaid with a grid.
What can we do with topographic maps?
▪ We can find out the distance from one place to
another
▪ We can work out the height of the land.
▪ We can work out the direction from one place to
another
▪ We can use scale on the map
▪ We can find places using the grid on the map and
area and grid reference

77.
Horizontal before
vertical- you have to
walk before you can
climb
Area Reference:
Gives the location of
one square on the
grid
e.g. AR4274
Grid references give
a more specific
location within the
square
e.g. GR412751

78.
Geographers Tools-
Topographic Maps
Worksheet

79.
Topographic Mapping Skills
Worksheet

80.
Kokoda Trail Topographic Map Worksheet

81.
What Have We Done So Far
1.Introduction to Biomes ✔
2.Changing Biomes ✔
3.Biomes That Produce Food
4.Challenges to Food
Production
5.Food Security

82.
Part 3-
Biomes that Produce Food

83.
Where Does My Food Come From?
▪ Make a list of all the places that
you (or your carers) buy food
from e.g. supermarkets,
butchers, fruit shops, general
stores, farmers markets,
takeaway, restaurants
▪ Do you grow any food yourself?
If so, what do you grow?
Write heading and answer questions in book

84.
Where Does My Food Come From?
1. Make a list of 10 pre-packaged
foods that you or your family
eats.
2. Next to each one, write down
where you think they come
from.
3. Check with a partner to see if
they agree
▪ I will look up the answers for you

85.
“People in developing countries are more likely to know where all of their food comes from,
than people in developed countries”
Do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why?
Write the statement and answer in your book
In the developing world, the majority of
people’s food comes from what they can
grow and gather themselves. They spend a
lot of their life tending to crops and
animals.
In developed countries like Australia, a lot
of our food comes pre-packaged in
supermarkets and we may be unsure of
where it came from.

86.
Explain why each of the white areas in the following regions
and countries may be unsuitable for agriculture: Australia,
South America, North Africa, Central Asia.

87.
For each region, list 4 crops that Australia uses

88.
Factors that Influence Farming
What are some natural and
human problems that farmers
have to face?
Copy the mind-map into your books

89.
“Farm smarter, not harder”
▪ What does this mean to you?
▪ Write 1-2 sentences in your
book

90.
The Green Revolution
▪ The Green Revolution saw a massive change in farming technology.
▪ It occurred between 1930 and 1960
▪ New technologies included:
New, high-yielding varieties (HYVs) of cereals
Synthetic fertilisers and pesticides
▪ The "Father of the Green Revolution“ received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970, for saving
over a billion people from starvation
▪ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HucSCNQ01X4
Write