GCSE Geography Learning Checklist

WJEC GCSE Geography Spec A

OPTIONS: Living Things
Student Name:

__________________________________

Use this to check your learning and focus your revision. Words in bold are keywords
you should be able to define and use.
1. How does the physical environment interact with living things to produce
different large scale ecosystems?
a) I can define the words ecosystem and biome.

Met

Revised

Met

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Met

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Met

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Met

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b) I understand how the nutrient cycle works showing the

interactions between the living and non-living parts of an
ecosystem.
c) I can identify and explain the adaptations of animals and plants
in different ecosystems (e.g. camel in the desert and poison
arrow frog in the tropical rainforest).
2. How is the global distribution of large scale ecosystems influenced by
climate?
a) I can locate and describe the different biomes of the world
including tropical rainforest, desert, arctic tundra and the
deciduous forest.

a) I understand how temperature, rainfall and latitude create

different types of biomes.
3. In what ways do people use ecosystems?
a) I can identify the way in which people use the tropical rainforest
(e.g. logging, tourism, fishing).
b) I can explain whether the uses are sustainable or not and how
degrading they are to the ecosystem studied.
c) I can make effective use of a detailed case study to outline how
people use ecosystems (Amazon rainforest).
4. How can ecosystems be managed sustainably?
a) I can describe ways of managing ecosystems sustainably (e.g.
eco-tourism, selected logging and national parks).
b) I can evaluate how effective these strategies are using case
studies (eco-tourism and selective logging in the Amazon).
5. What is the evidence that ecosystems are being used unsustainably?

a)

I know what the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is and know

how to use it.

b) I understand the term carrying capacity and can explain why

this should not be exceeded.
c) I can explain the negative impacts of ecosystem degradation
(e.g. soil erosion, overfishing).
d) I can use a case study as evidence of unsustainable uses of an
ecosystem (the Amazon Rainforest).
6. What are the local and global consequences of unsustainable ecosystem
use on people and the environment?
b) I can describe the impacts on a local scale (e.g. soil erosion,
desertification, tourism).
c) I can explain the consequences on the local people and
environment making use of a case study (indigenous groups in the
Amazon Rainforest).
d) I understand and can explain the impacts of deforestation on
climate change and the water cycle on a global scale.
Notes/highlight areas of weakness

Met

Revised