TOPIC 5: Teaching Plan 5B.1 5B.2 What Is Ecology? How Ecosystems Evolve

TOPIC 5: Teaching plan 5B.1; 5B.2 What is ecology?
How ecosystems evolve
Student Book links Specification links Links to prior learning Suggested teaching order
● 5B.1 ● 5.11 ● Prokaryotic cells 1. What is an ecosystem?
● 5B.2 ● 5.12 ● Niches and adaptations 2. Ecology terminology
● 5.13 ● Species and genetic 3. Biomes
● 5.15 biodiversity 4. How ecosystems evolve:
● Photosynthesis and its  Primary succession
limiting factors
 Secondary succession
 Examples of succession
Learning objectives
● Understand what is meant by the terms population, community, habitat and ecosystem.
● Understand that the numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are controlled by
biotic and abiotic factors.
● Understand how the concept of niche accounts for the distribution and abundance of
organisms in a habitat.
● Understand the stages of succession from colonisation to the formation of a climax
community.
Key terms Practical skills
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● Abundance ● Prey ● There are no new practical skills in this
● Ecosystem ● Biosphere section.
● Habitat ● Biomes
● Microhabitat ● Succession
● Population ● Colonisation
● Community ● Opportunist/pioneer species
● Niche ● Climax community
● Predator ● Climatic climax community
● Abiotic factor ● Plagioclimax
● Biotic factor
Maths skills Digital learning ideas
● Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms ● Search online for ‘volcano ecological
(e.g. interpret diagrams to show secondary succession) (A.1.3) succession’ to find some good images
● Translate information between graphical, numerical and algebraic forms (e.g. illustrating primary succession.
interpret data increase in biodiversity during colonisation) (A.3.1) ● Use presentation software.
● Determine the intercept of a graph (e.g. when looking at data on two different ● Create virtual flashcards online.
populations) (A.3.4)
Pre-unit homework suggestions
● Students should produce a set of flashcards for ecological key terms. Free virtual flashcard builders are available online.
● Students should set their own learning goals for topic 5B. They should create a chart showing what they know about the topic and what
they want to know. They should then read Sections 5B.1 and 5B.2 in the Student Book and add what they have learned to their chart.
Suggested starter activities Equipment Teacher notes

1. Play ‘Blizzard’. Give each student a piece of scrap Scrap paper
paper. Divide the class in half. Ask all students to
write down an ecological key term on their scrap of
paper. They then screw it up and throw it towards
the other team. The person nearest where it lands
must pick it up and write down the definition and
another key term, and throw it back. Keep going
until everyone runs out of ideas.
5. In small groups, play ‘Memory pairs’. Cards are laid Prepared cards Prepare a set of matching cards for each group.
face down. Students pick up two cards: if they Each card should show an ecological term or
match, they keep them; if not, the cards are definition.
returned to their original location. Other students try
to remember the location for their turn.
6. Do a thought experiment. If humans were to Pool ideas as a class and ask a student to record
abandon this building, town or city today, what the ideas on the board. Use this activity to assess
would it look like in 100 years’ time? students’ existing understanding.

Suggested main activities Equipment Teacher notes
1. Provide a fairly extensive list of types of habitat Prepared list or internet Search online for ‘list of habitats’: several suitable
around the world. Students decide which of the access resources are available, some of which provide
listed habitats are large enough to be biomes and useful further details. Students should write down
which would support a smaller ecosystem. a list of biomes. Finally, discuss the difference
between the terms ‘biome’, ‘habitat’ and
‘ecosystem’ as a class.
7. Students research and give a presentation on one Projector, internet access Divide the class into pairs or threes. Each
example of succession, such as primary succession member of the group should research a subtopic,
on new rock, sand dunes, hydrosere or halosere, or such as the changes in species, in abiotic
secondary succession after fire. conditions or in biotic factors.
8. Produce a table to compare ecosystem conditions In the first column, list factors such as species
as a terrestrial ecosystem evolves. diversity, competition, biomass, light, water
availability and soil minerals. Add one column for
pioneer communities and one for climax
communities. Record comparative statements
such as ‘low’ or ‘high’.
Suggested plenary activities Equipment Teacher notes
1. Produce visual representations or mnemonics for List of key terms These could be a series of pictorial symbols that
selected key terms from this topic. spell out a word or phrase, or one visual scene
which summarises it. For example, ‘abundance’
could be represented by a dancing bun!
9. Students work in pairs to answer written questions Prepared question sheet with You could use selected exam-style questions
on succession using the ‘Rally coach’ approach. an even number of question from the end of Chapter 5B in the Student Book.
Partners take turns to write an answer or act as the parts Use mixed-ability pairs. Give out one question
advisor who suggests what to write. sheet per pair.
10. Display two photos: one of new rock just after a Images, projector Collect students’ responses and use them to
volcanic eruption and one of a volcanic area after assess their progress in understanding.
forest has grown. Students write an explanation of
the changes displayed in the photos in fewer than
40 words.

Homework suggestions
● Students search online for suitable images and produce a photo gallery showing the stages in primary succession for any suitable
example.
● Students complete the Checkpoint questions at the end of Sections 5B.1 and 5B.2 in the Student Book.
Wider reading
● Read about a (sometimes controversial) model of the biosphere as a self-regulating system in Gaia: A New Look at a Life on Earth, a
book by James Lovelock (2000) on the ‘Gaia hypothesis’.
● Research and read about succession on Krakatoa.
Support ideas
● Display photographic images of different successional stages to help students to visualise the changes.
● For Main activity 2, provide a list of key points for students to use in their presentations.
● Provide a full list of conditions to consider in Main activity 3.
Extension ideas
● Read online about the primary succession that has occurred on Mount St. Helens, USA, since its major eruption in 1980. Make notes on
the changes and the timescales involved. Try searching for ‘ecological succession on Mount St. Helens’.
Potential misconceptions
● Students may be confused by the fact that succession can be seen along a transect, such as on a sand dune (i.e. over distance rather
than time). Help them to understand that the process happens over time at each position on the transect and that each position is at a
different stage in the process.
● Students sometimes believe that the increase in species diversity over time is purely down to the ‘chance’ events of colonising species
arriving at the site. Emphasise the idea that most species would not survive initially, and that pioneer species change the abiotic
environment.
Links to future learning
● How energy is transferred between trophic levels, using the terms ‘net primary productivity’ and ‘gross primary productivity’.
● How to calculate the efficiency of energy transfer between different trophic levels and account for the loss of energy at each level.
● The role of microorganisms in the recycling of nutrients within an ecosystem.
● Human effects on ecosystems.

Notes

TOPIC 5: Teaching plans 5B.3–5B.5 The effect of abiotic factors on populations; The effect of biotic factors on
populations; Ecosystem interactions and the importance of the niche
● 5B.3 ● 5.12 ● Prokaryotic cells 1. Abiotic factors: light, temperature, wind and
● 5B.4 ● 5.13 ● Niches and adaptations water currents, water availability, oxygen
availability, edaphic factors
● 5B.5 ● Species and genetic
biodiversity 11. Biotic factors: predation, finding a mate,
territory, parasitism and disease
● Photosynthesis and its
limiting factors 12. Interactions between biotic and abiotic factors:
 Case studies
Learning objectives
 Density-dependent and density-
● Understand that the numbers and distribution of organisms in a habitat are independent factors
controlled by abiotic and biotic factors.
 Intraspecific and interspecific competition
● Understand how the concept of niche accounts for the distribution and abundance
of organisms in a habitat.
● Microclimate ● Density-independent factors ● There are no new practical skills in this section.
● Edaphic factor ● Density-dependent factors
● Leaching ● Intraspecific competition
● Interspecific competition
● Recognise and make use of appropriate units in calculations (A.0.1) ● Search online for ‘animal population simulator’
● Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms to find predator–prey modelling activities.
(A.1.3)
● Translate information between graphical, numerical and algebraic forms (A.3.1)
● Determine the intercept of a graph (e.g. when looking at data on two different

● Students should choose any local ecosystem and research the factors that limit the populations of two named species within that
ecosystem.
● Students should revise their knowledge of adaptations from the first year of the course.
1. Display images of several very different Suitable images, e.g. ice cap, Use this activity to introduce abiotic and biotic
ecosystems. Ask students to suggest the main tundra, desert, coral reef, factors and to assess students’ prior knowledge.
factors that limit population size in each. rainforest
13. Show a graph of the rate of human population Suitable graph, projector Encourage students to think about biotic and
increase. Ask students to predict how it will abiotic factors that affect human populations.
continue to change and why.
14. Demonstrate an online animal population simulator Internet access, projector Emphasise the interaction between food availability
that allows you to display population graphs while and predation on populations.
running the model. Ask students to suggest
parameters to change. Observe the effects of the
changes.
1. Students produce a table to summarise information The table columns should name a factor, state
about the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on whether it is abiotic or biotic, and give its effect on
populations. the population or mechanism of action. For
example, a low temperature slows down reactions,
and a very high temperature will lead to the
denaturing of proteins.
15. Allocate a question number and a short section of Paper Students write a question and answer on one side
the Student Book to each student. They must write of their paper. They then move around the room,
a question and succinct answer on this topic. Then find a partner and take turns to attempt to answer
play ‘Quiz, quiz, swap’. At the end, discuss which each other’s questions. Pairs then swap question
questions proved most difficult and go over any slips and each student seeks a partner with a
misconceptions. different question. Students note the numbers of
the questions they have answered and whether
they answered them correctly.

16. Display an image showing zonation on a rocky Textbooks or internet access Perform an Internet search for ‘rocky shore
shore. Students research the abiotic and biotic ecosystem: biotic and abiotic factors’.
factors that interact to produce this zonation, then
produce a diagram to summarise their ideas.
1. Students describe the difference between pairs of List of word pairs, random Pairs of key terms could include ‘interspecific
key terms that are similar. Either take turns in pairs name generator (optional) competition’ and ‘intraspecific competition’; ‘abiotic’
or use a random name selector to choose and ‘biotic’; ‘density dependent’ and ‘density
participants from the whole class. independent’; ‘pioneer community’ and ‘climax
community’; ‘carrying capacity’ and ‘limiting factor’;
‘primary succession’ and ‘secondary succession’.
17. Students answer the questions at the end of Mark scheme or model
Sections 5B.3, 5B.4 and 5B.5 in the Student Book. answers
Students peer mark and give feedback on a
partner’s answers.
18. Students make bulleted lists of density- Textbooks or internet access Students should write one sentence of explanation
independent and density-dependent factors that for each factor.
can affect population size.
● Students answer the Checkpoint questions at the end of Sections 5B.3, 5B.4 and 5B.5 in the Student Book, if they have not done so in
class.
● Students complete Exam practice questions 2–4 at the end of Chapter 5B in the Student Book.
Wider reading
● Read about the research that led to the development of Gause’s law of competitive exclusion.
Support ideas
● Provide a table template with one example for Main activity 1.
● Differentiate in Main activity 2 by allocating topics of varying difficulties to different students.

Extension ideas
● Search online for ‘how wolves change rivers’ to find a video clip that explains the changes that have happened since wolves were
introduced to Yellowstone National Park, USA. Make a list of changes in biotic and abiotic factors that resulted from wolf introduction.
● Students may believe that only predation or only food availability influences the population of a species.
● There is often a tendency to think only about the survival of adults and not to consider reproductive success.
● The terms ‘intraspecific’ and ‘interspecific’ are often confused. Use other examples of the prefixes as a memory aid; for example, an
interface is a connection between two different systems.
Notes

TOPIC 5: Teaching plan 5B.6 Investigating abundance and distribution of organisms
● 5B.6 ● 5.14 ● Niches and adaptations 1. Abundance and distribution
● CP11 ● Species and genetic 19. Ecological techniques:
biodiversity  Quadrats
● That the maintenance of
 ACFOR scales, percentage cover and
biodiversity is important
individual counts
for both ethical and
economic reasons  Transects
● Photosynthesis and its 20. Core practical 11: Carry out a study of the
limiting factors ecology of a habitat
Learning objectives
● Describe the ecological techniques used to assess abundance and distribution of
organisms in a natural habitat, including types of quadrat, transects, ACFOR scales,
percentage cover and individual counts.
● Select appropriate ecological techniques according to the ecosystem and organisms
to be studied.
● Abundance ● Carry out a study of the ecology of a habitat,
● Distribution such as using quadrats and transects to
determine the distribution and abundance of
● Quadrat organisms, and measuring abiotic factors
● Percentage cover appropriate to the habitat (Core practical 11).
● ACFOR scale
● Line transect
● Belt transect

● Recognise and make use of appropriate units in calculations (A.0.1) ● Use a spreadsheet or other software to
● Estimate results (A.0.4) process data for statistical analysis.
● Find arithmetic means (A.1.2) ● Search the internet for ‘virtual ecology
practical’ for a variety of virtual investigations
● Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms using quadrats and transects.
(A.1.3)
● Understand the principles of sampling as applied to scientific data (A.1.5)
● Select and use a statistical test, e.g. the Student’s t-test (A.1.9)
● Identify uncertainties in measurements and use simple techniques to determine
uncertainty when data are combined (A.1.11)
● Students should read Section 5B.6 of the Student Book.
● Students should list two ways of using a quadrat and two ways of using a transect to measure the distribution of organisms. They should
give an example of when they would use each method.
1. Show an image of a single species living in an area, Suitable image, projector Use this activity as an introduction to the question
such as limpets on a rocky shore or an aerial view of how we can measure and describe abundance
of trees. Students write one sentence to describe and distribution in biology.
the abundance and one sentence to describe the
distribution of the organisms.
21. Show aerial images of randomly or evenly Suitable images, projector For example, search online for ‘sand dune
distributed species and others of communities that species distribution’, ‘savannah aerial view’,
change along environmental gradients. Ask the ‘grassland aerial view’ or ‘pond aerial view’.
class for ideas about how abundance and
distribution could be measured.
22. Introduce Core practical 11. Students prepare a Mark scheme or guidelines Tables could be peer marked using a simple mark
table to record their results, then swap tables with scheme. Award marks for units, the independent
another student and share feedback. variable being given in the left-hand column,
including repeats, and so on.

1. Devise an ACFOR scale for the abundance of one Quadrats or images and Provide images, either to use as prompts or to
species in a habitat. projector apply the devised scale. Alternatively, if you are in
the field, provide quadrats. Students could design
a scale for a real species, such as dandelions on
grassland, or for the distribution of other features,
such as freckles on a forearm or spots on a
Dalmatian puppy.
23. Practise laying and using a transect. Long tape measure or rope Consider line and belt transects. This could be
marked at 0.5 m intervals, done indoors with paper ‘organisms’ scattered on
quadrat the floor at different densities along an imaginary
environmental gradient.
24. Students carry out a study of the ecology of a See Core practical 11 for This practical activity focuses on the skills of
habitat, such as using quadrats and transects to equipment list and full collecting, recording and analysing results,
determine the distribution and abundance of instructions including carrying out a Student’s t-test. It is really
organisms, and measuring abiotic factors two studies rolled into one, comparing quadrat
appropriate to the habitat (Core practical 11). type and quadrat size. Both percentage cover and
density measurements are taken. If time is short,
only one comparison and one measurement
method could be used.
1. Play ‘Fast talker’. Quadrat, point quadrat, Hand each student a piece of equipment, such as
transect line, random number a quadrat or transect line. Challenge the student
tables to talk for 1 minute on how to use it.
25. Provide sentences that describe possible ecological Prepared list of possible Examples might include the changes in species
studies. Students must decide whether a transect or studies and abundance from a pond edge to dry soil, the
a random distribution of quadrats is most suitable relative abundance of bluebells in two woods, and
and what should be measured. the changes in plant communities with increasing
distance from a copper mine. Students should
choose between ACFOR, percentage cover and
individual counts.
26. Students list five things they have learned during
the lesson and rank them in order of importance.

● Students complete the statistical analysis and write-up for Core practical 11.
● Students answer the Exam-style questions at the end of the Student sheet for Core practical 11.
Wider reading
● Find out about the wide range of methods by which bird abundance and distribution can be studied, from mist nets and ringing to citizen
science projects.
Support ideas
● Help students to understand why throwing a quadrat over your shoulder is not random.
● Give students simple practice calculations for converting mean counts per quadrat to abundance per square metre and then extrapolating
to a larger area. It is also advisable to practise conversion between units of area.
● Simplify Core practical 11 for those who are struggling.
Extension ideas
● Do an online search to find some examples of ACFOR scales that are commonly used. Choose one and consider the limitations that there
might be in using it.
● Students often believe that a 0.5 m × 0.5 m quadrat is 0.5 m2 in area. Explain why it is in fact 0.25 m2.
● Students sometimes believe that a 100 cm2 quadrat equals 1 m2. Explain why it actually equals 0.01 m2.
● Some students may not appreciate why sampling is necessary and how random sampling makes samples more representative.
● Students may not realise that runners connect many plants and may therefore not appreciate the difficulty of counting individual plants
such as grass.

Notes

TOPIC 5: Teaching plan 5B.7 Statistics and ecology
● 5B.7 ● 5.13 ● Niches and adaptations 1. What are you testing for?
● 5.14 ● Species and genetic 27. Hypothesis testing
● CP11 biodiversity 28. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient
● Photosynthesis and its 29. Student’s t-test
limiting factors
30. Chi squared test
Learning objective
● Understand how the concept of niche accounts for the distribution and abundance
of organisms in a habitat.
● Describe the ecological techniques used to assess the abundance and distribution
of organisms.
● Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ● There are no new practical skills in this section.
● Student’s t-test
● Chi squared test
● Null hypothesis
Maths links Digital learning ideas
● Construct and interpret frequency tables and diagrams, bar charts and histograms ● Use a spreadsheet or other software to process
(e.g. interpret diagrams to show secondary succession) (A.1.3) data for statistical analysis.
● Translate information between graphical, numerical and algebraic forms (e.g.
interpret data on increase in biodiversity during colonisation) (A.3.1)
● Determine the intercept of a graph (e.g. when looking at data on two different
● Understand the principles of sampling as applied to scientific data (e.g. when
analysing data from field investigations) (A.1.5)
● Select and use a statistical test (e.g. the Student’s t-test, the Spearman’s rank
correlation and the chi squared test) (A.1.9)

● Substitute numerical values into algebraic equations using appropriate units for
physical quantities (e.g. the Student’s t-test, the Spearman’s rank correlation and
the chi squared test) (A.2.3)
● Students should read the Section 5B.7 in the Student Book and prepare questions they would like answered in class.
● Students should list the three statistical tests described in Section 5B.7 and suggest an example of a situation where each would be used.
They can review their answers at the end of the lesson.
1. Review different types of data: nominal, ordinal and List of measurements Examples might include shell colour in snails,
interval. Then display a list of different reaction time, hand span, crawling speed, mass,
measurements. Students record each example shoe size and blood group.
measurement in a table against the appropriate
data type.
31. Introduce the ideas behind the different tests and Use the Student Book for reference. The initial
how to choose which one to use. Students then decision should be based on whether testing is for
construct a flowchart to summarise which questions a significant difference or for the strength or
to ask and which decision to make when choosing a nature of any relationship. Further decisions
test. should then be made according to the type of
data. Emphasise that there are many other
statistical tests that could be added to this chart.
Example flowcharts are available online: search
for ‘which statistical test to use flowchart’.
32. Hand each student a card with a symbol related to a Prepared cards, textbooks or Provide cards with symbols such as n,  , χ , r, t.
statistical test. Allow 5 minutes for research. internet access
Students then stand up and introduce their item to
the class.
1. Demonstrate how each test is performed, then ask Work through an example of the Student’s t-test
students to perform each test on new datasets. and the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient
as a class introduction, and then allow students to
work individually.

33. Students match statistical terms or phrases with Prepared cards Provide one set of cards with terms and
their definitions. definitions per group. Phrases might include
‘degrees of freedom’, ‘probability’, ‘calculated
value’, ‘critical value’, ‘null hypothesis’, ‘mean’,
‘median’ and ‘standard deviation’.
34. Provide the students with exam papers. In small Old exam papers or sample Discuss the answers to the questions with the
groups, students attempt exam-style questions on data students.
statistical tests. They then discuss the answer.
1. Working in pairs. One student suggests a Students could review previous sections of
hypothesis on which to base an ecological Chapter 5B for ideas.
investigation, describing the data collected. The
second student decides what statistical test should
be performed to test the first student’s hypothesis.
The process is repeated with the second student
then providing the hypothesis and the first
suggesting the analysis.
35. Class discussion on the results of Plenary activity 1. Encourage students to reflect critically on whether
Alternatively, provide examples for the class to each suggested hypothesis is robust enough to
discuss. be tested and whether the suggested statistical
analysis is appropriate.
36. Students each write two questions that they would Slips of paper Use the students’ questions to gauge their
like to ask following the lesson, then hand them to understanding of the topic. Review areas they
the teacher before leaving. found challenging in the next lesson.
● Students complete Exam practice question 1 at the end of Chapter 5B in the Student Book.
● Students complete the Checkpoint questions at the end of Section 5B.7 in the Student Book.
Wider reading
● Search online for ‘ecology studies using chi squared’, ‘ecology studies using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient’ or ‘ecology studies
using Student’s t-test’ and look at the way the data were collected and analysed.

Support ideas
● Provide students with a worksheet of gap-fill exercises or step-by-step instructions to support the completion of the statistical tests in Core
practical 11.
● Following Starter activity 2, make sure that all students have a suitable flowchart to help them choose a statistical test. Adding suggested
minimum sample sizes for each test may help students make sensible decisions in the practical activities.
Extension ideas
 The Mann–Whitney U test is another commonly used statistical test. Students could research this test and add it to their flowchart from
Starter activity 2.
 Students could use the formula functions within spreadsheet software to carry out calculations.
● Students may find it difficult to report the results of a statistical test. They are confused by what the test shows in relation to the null
hypothesis.
● Students may not understand that statistical tests represent a probability of a result being significant.
● Students often do not appreciate the different levels of statistical significance.
● Students often find it difficult to decide what test is appropriate in a given situation.
● Interpretation of the data relating to human influences on ecosystems, including climate change.
● Interpretation of data recorded in Core practicals.
Notes


TOPIC 5: Teaching Plan 5B.1 5B.2 What Is Ecology? How Ecosystems Evolve

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TOPIC 5: Teaching plan 5B.1; 5B.2 What is ecology?

How ecosystems evolve

© Pearson Education Ltd 2019.

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© Pearson Education Ltd 2019.

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