Lesson overview

This lesson will introduce students to abiotic and biotic factors of the coral reef ecosystem. In this lesson students will gain a detailed understanding of a variety of abiotic and biotic factors. By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe those factors and begin to identify ways actions of humans will affect the ecosystem.

Learning outcomes

• Define the key terms – abiotic and biotic
• Describe how the abiotic components, work within the ecosystem. E.g. nutrient cycle
• Describe how the biotic components, work within the ecosystems. E.g. Food web or humans
• Identify the components within the coral reef ecosystem
• Explain the interrelationships of different factors within the ecosystem

Lesson steps

1. Introduction (5 mins)
   Students to review the learning objectives.
2. Key words (5 minutes)
   Students to match up the key words with the definitions.
3. Abiotic Components (15 mins)
   Students to read the information sheet about abiotic factors and complete the table.
4. Biotic Components (25 mins)
   Students to use the information in the Gallery – Coral Life (advanced) to complete the table.
5. Consolidating (10 mins)
   The students to use the diagram on the slideshow and explain interrelationship between the different factors on the coral reef.

England

Key Stage 4 Geography

• Place: processes and relationships
  Eduqas GCSE Geography A – 5.3.2. The location and distinctive features of the coral reef ecosystem and its climate. The processes and relationships that link living parts and non-living parts in these two ecosystems at different scales: Local scale processes to include nutrient cycles and food webs. Regional/global scales to include water cycles and carbon cycles.
  OCR GCSE Geography A – 2.1.1. Ecosystems include abiotic and biotic components which are interdependent.
  AQA GCSE Geography – 3.1.2.1. An overview of the distribution and characteristics of large scale natural global ecosystems.
  Eduqas GCSE Geography B – 3.1.2. The physical processes that link living/biotic components (plants, animals, decomposers) and non-living/abiotic components (temperature, light, moisture) in hot semi-arid grasslands and one other biome.
• People and environment: processes and interactions
  OCR GCSE Geography A – 2.1.5. A case study which covers: the process of nutrient cycling that operates within coral reefs, the interdependence of climate, soil, water, plants, animals and humans their value to humans and to the planet and threats to biodiversity and attempts to mitigate these through sustainable use and management.

USA

NGS, Second edition

• Places and Regions
  Standard 4. The physical and human characteristics of places.
• Human Systems
  Standard 14. How human actions modify the physical environment.