Abiotic–Biotic Factors & Adaptations

Interactions and Adaptations in the Antarctic Ecosystem

Antarctic abiotic factors shape the adaptations of plants and animals, creating unique survival strategies in this extreme ecosystem.

Key terms

Abiotic factors are the non-living parts of an ecosystem.
- Such as temperature, ice, wind, and sunlight.
Biotic factors are the living parts of an ecosystem.
- Including plants, animals, and microorganisms.
The nutrient cycle describes how nutrients like carbon, nitrogen, and minerals move through an ecosystem.

Antarctic abiotic factors

The Antarctic ecosystem has extremely low temperatures, often below -50 °C in winter.
Strong winds and long periods of darkness affect the environment.
Ice and snow cover most of the land, limiting available habitats.
Low precipitation makes Antartica a polar desert.
- These abiotic factors influence both the survival and behaviour of organisms.

Biotic components of the Antarctic ecosystem

Few plant species exist, mainly mosses, lichens, and algae adapted to cold.
Antarctic fauna includes seabirds, seals, penguins, and marine invertebrates.
Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi play important roles in nutrient cycling.
Animal life depends heavily on the marine ecosystem for food.

Interrelationships: abiotic and biotic factors

Low temperatures slow decomposition, affecting nutrient availability for Antarctic plants.
Ice limits breeding sites for penguins and seals but protects some species from predators.
Seasonal sunlight variation drives biological cycles, influencing breeding and feeding.
Wind influences seed dispersal for plants like mosses and lichens.

Plant adaptations to Antarctic conditions

Antarctic mosses reproduce quickly during the short summer with abundant sunlight.
Lichens tolerate dehydration and freeze-thaw cycles by entering dormant phases.
Algae survive under the ice or in meltwater pools using low light for photosynthesis.

Animal adaptations for survival

Some animals have large eyes to see well in the dark.
Birds like penguins have feathers that repel water to stay dry and warm.
Some animals change behaviour, like hibernating, to save energy in winter or breeding in summer.
Some animals migrate to warmer places when food is hard to find.
Many animals have thick layers of fat to keep warm.

1Paper 1 - Changing River Environnments

1.1Characteristics of Rivers

1.1.1The Long Profile

1.1.2Characteristics of Rivers

1.2River Landforms

1.2.1Waterfalls & Gorges

1.2.2Meanders

1.2.3Oxbow Lakes

1.2.4Levees

1.2.5Floodplains

1.2.6Deltas

1.2.7Interlocking Spurs

1.3Rivers: Opportunities & Hazards

1.3.1River Pollution

1.3.2River Pollution in the River Thames

1.4The Bradshaw Model

1.4.1The Bradshaw Model

1.5The Drainage Basin & the Water Cycle

1.5.1The Drainage Basin & the Water Cycle

1.6Processes Operating in a Drainage Basin

1.6.1Hydrological Cycle in a Drainage Basin

1.6.2Processes in a Drainage Basin

1.7Processes Operating in a River

1.7.1Erosion

1.7.2Transportation

1.7.3Deposition

1.7.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Upper Course

1.7.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Deposition

2Paper 1 - Changing Coastal Environments

2.1Physical Processes that Shape the Coast

2.1.1Processes of Erosion

2.1.2Corrosion & Corrasion

2.1.3Transportation

2.1.4Deposition

2.1.5Longshore Drift

2.1.6Types of Waves

2.1.7Case Study: The Holderness Coast (UK)

2.1.8Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Management

2.1.9Case Study: The Holderness Coast - Defences

2.1.10Diagnostic Misconceptions - Swash & Backwash

2.2Landforms

2.2.1Headlands & Bays

2.2.2Beaches, Stumps, & Cliffs

2.2.3Wave-cut Platforms

2.2.4Caves, Arches, & Stacks

2.2.5Spits, Bars, & Sand Dunes

2.2.6Discordant & Concordant Coastlines

2.3Opportunities & Hazards

2.3.1Opportunities & Hazards

2.3.2Managing Flooding - Hard Engineering

2.3.3Coastal Management - Hard Engineering

2.3.4Coastal Management - More Hard Engineering

2.3.5Coastal Management - Soft Engineering

2.3.6End of Topic Test - Rivers

2.3.7End of Topic Test -Coasts

2.4Tropical Storms

2.4.1Tropical Storms

2.4.2Structure of Tropical Storms

2.4.3Causes of Tropical Storms

2.4.4Effects of Tropical Storms

2.4.5Hazards of Tropical Storms

2.4.6Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Effects

2.4.7Case Study: Hurricane Katrina - Responses

2.4.8Case Study: Cyclone Nargis - Responses

2.4.9Case Study: Cyclone Nargis

2.4.10Mathematical Skills: Weather Hazards

2.4.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Rainfall

2.5Protection & Management

2.5.1Coral Reefs

2.5.2Types of Reefs

2.5.3Importance of Coral Reefs

2.5.4Mangrove Swamps

2.5.5Importance of Mangroves

3Paper 1 - Changing Ecosystems

3.1Antarctic

3.1.1Features of the Antartic Ecosystem

3.1.2Factors Influencing the Antarctic

3.1.3Abiotic–Biotic Factors & Adaptations

3.2Threats to the Antarctic

3.2.1Antarctic: Threats & Impacts

3.2.2Antarctic: Evaluation of Strategies

3.3Tropical Rainforest

3.3.1Global Distribution & Characteristics

3.3.2Tropical Rainforest: Structure

3.3.3Tropical Rainforest: Interrelationships

3.4Tropical Rainforest: Threats

3.4.1ThreatsThreats & Impacts

3.4.2Evaluation of Strategies

3.4.3Mathematical Skills: Deforestation

3.4.4Rainforest Case Study

4Paper 1 - Tectonic Hazards

4.1The Structure of the Earth

4.1.1Structure of the Earth: Characteristics

4.1.2Tectonic Plates

4.1.3Plate Margins

4.1.4Plate Boundaries

4.1.5Earthquakes at Plate Margins

4.2The Processes of Earthquakes & Volcanoes

4.2.1Earthquakes: Processes & Characteristics

4.2.2Earthquake Hazards

4.2.3Types of Volcano

4.2.4Classification & Features

4.2.5Volcanic Hazards

4.2.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Lava

4.2.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Location of Volcanoes

4.2.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Focus vs Epicentre

4.2.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Sliding Plates

4.3The Impacts of Tectonic Hazards

4.3.1Why do People Live Near Volcanoes?

4.3.2Primary Effects of Volcanoes

4.3.3Secondary Effects of Volcanoes

4.3.4Measuring Earthquakes

4.4Managing the Impacts of Tectonic Hazards

4.4.1Manging Impacts of Tectonic Hazards - Monitoring

4.4.2Managing Impacts of Tectonic Hazards - Planning

4.4.3Case Study: Agung

4.4.4Case Study: Christchurch

4.4.5Mathematic Skills: Tectonic Hazards

5Paper 1 - Climate Change

5.1Natural & Human Causes of Climate Change

5.1.1Climate Change: Evidence

5.1.2Climate Change: Factors

5.1.3Climate Change: Human Influence

5.1.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Greenhouse Effect

5.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - 1°C Change in Temp.

5.2Impacts of Climate Change

5.2.1Impact on the Environment

5.2.2Impact on People

5.2.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - Species Adaptation

5.3Responses to Climate Change

5.3.1Climate Change: Strategies

5.3.2Evaluation of Mitigation

5.3.3Climate Change: Case Study

6Paper 2 - Changing Populations

7Paper 2 - Changing Towns & Cities

7.1Where People Live

7.1.1Variations in Global Population

7.2Opportunities & Challenges of Urbanisation

7.2.1Opportunities & Challenges

7.2.2Impact

7.2.3Diagnostic Misconceptions - Inequality

7.2.4Diagnostic Misconceptions - Urbanisation

7.2.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Megacities

7.3Management of Urban Growth

7.3.1Evaluation of Strategies

7.3.2Case Study: Notting Hill & Leicester

7.3.3Mathematical Skills: Urban Issues

7.3.4End of Topic Test - Urbanisation

8Paper 2 - Development

8.1Measuring Development

8.1.1Social & Economic Indicators

8.1.2Comparing Countries

8.1.3Development: Environmental Factors

8.1.4Development: Historical Factors

8.1.5Development: Political Causes

8.1.6Development: Social Causes

8.1.7Development: Economic Causes

8.2Uneven Development

8.2.1Reasons for Uneven Development

8.2.2Uneven Development: Patterns

8.2.3Measures of Inequality Within Countries

8.2.4Case Study: Inequality in China

8.3Sustainable Development

8.3.1Definition & Techniques

8.3.2Case Study: Bangladesh

9Paper 2 - Changing Economies

9.1Changing Employment Structures

9.1.1Different Industries

9.1.2Changing Employment Structure

9.1.3Industrial Location & Distribution

9.2Globalisation

9.2.1Globalisation Definition & Features

9.2.2Globalisation - Transport

9.2.3Globalisation - Communication & Banking

9.2.4Transnational Corporations (TNCs)

9.2.5Case Study: SEZs in China

9.2.6Case Study: SEZs in HSBC

9.3Tourism

9.3.1Factors Leading to the Growth of Tourism

9.3.2The Butler Model

9.3.3Benefits of Tourism - Economic

9.3.4Benefits of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.

9.3.5Problems with Tourism - Economic

9.3.6Problems of Tourism - Social, Cultural & Env.

9.3.7Managing Tourism - Sustainability & Ecotourism

9.3.8Managing Tourism - Quotas & Tourism Hubs

9.3.9Case Study: Blackpool (UK)

9.3.10Mathematical Skills: Changing Economic World

10Paper 2 - Resource Provision

10.1Food

10.1.1Farming Types

10.1.2Human Inputs

10.1.3Physical Inputs

10.1.4Green Revolution

10.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Food

10.2Patterns of Food Supply & Demand

10.2.1Calorie Intake

10.2.2Reasons for Changing Global Supply

10.2.3Strategies to Increase Food Supply

10.2.4Reasons & Impacts

10.3Challenges of Food Supply

10.3.1Human Factors

10.3.2Natural Factors

10.3.3Impacts of Food Insecurity

10.3.4Increasing Farm Output

10.3.5Food Aid

10.3.6Desertification

10.3.7Reducing the Risk of Desertification

10.3.8Soil Erosion

10.3.9Low Impact Farming

10.3.10Mathematical Skills: Food

10.4Energy

10.4.1Types of Energy: Renewable & Non-Renewable

10.4.2Non-Renewable: Fuelwood

10.4.3Non-Renewable: Nuclear

10.4.4Non-Renewable: Fossil Fuels

10.4.5Renewable: Wind & Solar

10.4.6Renewable: Wave & Tidal

10.4.7Renewable: Biofuel

10.4.8Renewable: HEP & Geothermal

10.5Patterns of Energy Supply & Demand

10.5.1Reasons for Increasing Energy Consumption

10.5.2Energy Security

10.5.3Variations in Energy Use

10.6Impacts of Energy Production

10.6.1Strategies to Increase Energy Supply

10.6.2Evaluation of the Strategies

10.6.3Case Study: Iceland

10.6.4Case Study: China

10.6.5Mathematical Skills: Energy

10.6.6End of Topic Test - Energy

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