Ecology and Ecosystems

What this page covers

This unit page collects study material on how living things and their surroundings fit together. Mind maps make up most of it, with flashcard decks, notes, a few slide sets and quizzes alongside. Topics run from the basics of an ecosystem to food webs, energy flow, succession, invasive species and human impact.

Where to start

If the vocabulary is new, begin with the mind map ESS TOPIC 2 - THE ECOSYSTEM. It sets out biotic and abiotic components in short, clear branches. Then open Food Webs to see producers, consumers and trophic levels laid out step by step.

For terms, the deck ESS ecosystems (topic 2) vocab covers biome, productivity, autotrophs and heterotrophs. IB ESS Topic 4 Definitions moves on to biodiversity, speciation, succession and climax community.

Using quizzes and maps together

1. Take Ecosystems Quiz first, without looking anything up.
2. Note which questions slowed you down, such as identifying ecosystems on a map.
3. Open the matching mind map or note and read only that branch.
4. Return to the quiz, or try Human Impacts on Ecosystems or Ecology unit 4 quiz.

Flashcards suit short, repeated sessions. Maps suit seeing how ideas connect. Quizzes show what you still need to look at.

Case studies and wider reading

Some resources go deeper into particular places. The note Tropical Rainforests Ecosystem covers distribution, the value of rainforests to humans, deforestation and management. Coral Reef CASE STUDY and Fragile environments are useful for ecosystems that are easily disturbed. Some resources mention exams such as AP Environmental Science, IB ESS and A-level Biology, so check the title and content for fit.

Where this unit sits

This page belongs to the Ecology and Biodiversity strand of Environmental science and ecology. Pick one resource that matches what you are studying today, work through it, and then make a map or deck of your own.