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Ecosystems (Definition (Ecosystems- a natural system made up of plants,…

- - - - This is because the climate and characteristics of ecosystems are determined by global atmospheric circulation.
    - - Ocean currents
      - Winds
      - The distribution of land and sea
  - - - Roughly 30-40 degrees North
        
        Warm, dry summers and cold winters. This land is mainly used for grazing animals.
    - - Roughly 40-45 degrees North of the equator
        
        Hot, sunny and dry summers with mild winters. Mediterranean vegetation included olive and fruit tress for example lemons and oranges.
    - - Roughly 50-60 degrees North of the equator
        
        Deciduous trees shed their leaves in winter to retain their moisture. Coniferous trees are cone-bearing evergreen, retaining their leaves to maximise photosynthesis. The UK is home to deciduous forests, whereas places like Canada are home to coniferous forests as they are better suited to the colder environments.
    - - Roughly 30 degrees North and South of the equator
        
        Deserts cover one fifth of the worlds surface, high daytime temperatures and cool night temperatures and low rainfall. Plants and animals have to be well adapted to survive these conditions.
    - - Close to the equator
        
        High temperatures and heavy rainfall creates ideal conditions for plants to grow, more than half the worlds plants and animals live in the rainforest. The rainforest covers 6% of the earths surface and a quarter of all medicines come from the rainforest,
    - - From the Arctic circle to 60-70 degrees North
        
        Low growing plants adapted to retain heat and moisture in the cold, windy and dry conditions. It is easily damaged by things like tourism and oil exploitation. Animals such as reindeer have adapted to live here.
    - - Between 15 and 30 degrees North and South of the equator
        
        The dry season can be very hot and very dry, wild fires can break out. Violent thunderstorms break out in the wet season. Large herds of animals graze on these grasslands along with predators such as lions and leopards.
    - - Artic/ Antartic
        
        Very low temperatures and dry conditions, temperatures can fall below -50 degrees
- - - - Human activity can have many impacts on ecosystems because once a component is changed it can have massive knock on effects.
    - - changes to a habitat, for example a hedgerow when a hedge is cut down/ removed.
    - - ecosystems can adapt to slow natural changes with few harmful effects
      - Rapid changes can have serious impacts for example extreme weather conditions like droughts can be devastating for lakes and ponds
    - - Massive changes for example climate change that will have devastating effects on a ecosystem