Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests
I can understand that tropical rainforests have a high rate of nutrient cycling and support high levels of biodiversity and complex food webs.
Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests
I can understand that tropical rainforests have a high rate of nutrient cycling and support high levels of biodiversity and complex food webs.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Tropical rainforests support high levels of biodiversity.
- Tropical rainforests have high rates of nutrient cycling.
- Tropical rainforests support complex food webs.
Keywords
Biodiversity - a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
Nutrients - chemical substances found in all biotic features which are important for survival
Interdependent - when two or more biotic features, like plants or animals, depend or rely on each other to survive
Common misconception
Tropical rainforest soils must be nutrient-rich because the forests are so full of abundant, fast-growing vegetation.
Tropical rainforest soils are nutrient-poor. Nutrients cycle rapidly out of the soil due to them being taken up rapidly by biomass, while the heavy rainfall also washes them out of the soil through leaching and runoff.
To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 geography lesson on: Nutrient cycling and biodiversity in tropical rainforests, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 geography lessons from the Tropical rainforest unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
A large geographical area with distinct climate, vegetation & animals.
The interaction of living and non-living things in a particular area.
The specific environment where a species lives.
plants converting sunlight into energy through photosynthesis
animals depend on plants or other animals for food
fungi & bacteria breaking down dead matter recycling nutrients back
Exit quiz
4 Questions
a measure of how many different species live in an ecosystem
chemical substances found in all biotic features, vital for survival
when two or more biotic features rely on each other to survive