#B4.1a
recall that many different materials cycle through the abiotic and biotic components of an ecosystem
examples of cycled materials e.g. nitrogen and carbon
#B4.1b
explain the role of microorganisms in the cycling of materials through an ecosystem
the role of microorganisms in decomposition
#B4.1c
explain the importance of the carbon cycle and the water cycle to living organisms
maintaining habitats, fresh water flow of nutrients
#B4.1d
explain the effect of factors such as temperature, water content, and oxygen availability on rate of decomposition
the terms aerobic and anaerobic
#B4.1e
describe different levels of organisation in an ecosystem from individual organisms to the whole ecosystem
#B4.1f
explain how abiotic and biotic factors can affect communities
temperature, light intensity, moisture level, pH of soil, predators, food
#B4.1g
describe the importance of interdependence and competition in a community
interdependence relating to predation, mutualism and parasitism
#B4.1h
describe the differences between the trophic levels of organisms within an ecosystem
use of the terms producer and consumer
#B4.1i
describe pyramids of biomass and explain, with examples, how biomass is lost between the different trophic levels
loss of biomass related to egestion, excretion, respiration
#B4.1j
calculate the efficiency of biomass transfers between trophic levels and explain how this affects the number of trophic levels in a food chain