Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Geography B (1GB0) · Spec 7.1 and 7.2
People and the biosphere
Read the notes, then try the questions. Each one is marked the moment you press Check, and shows the right answer and why.
Key ideas
- A biome is a large ecosystem. Its location depends on climate, mainly temperature and rainfall, and also on local factors such as altitude and volcanic activity.
- Tropical rainforest grows near the Equator because rising air brings heavy rain all year. Temperatures are high all year round.
- Biomes give us goods (such as timber and food) and services (such as storing carbon and controlling water).
- Warm, wet biomes grow more food and resources, so they can support more people. This is the idea of carrying capacity.
- Malthus argued in 1798 that population grows geometrically while food grows arithmetically. Boserup argued that more people drive new ideas that raise food supply.
Key terms
- Biome
- A large ecosystem, such as tropical rainforest or taiga, with similar climate, plants and animals.
- Producer
- A plant that makes its own food using sunlight.
- Decomposer
- An organism, such as a fungus, that breaks down dead matter and returns nutrients to the soil.
- Food web
- Many food chains linked together.
- Carrying capacity
- The number of people an area can support with its resources.
Common mistakes
- Saying the Sun is the main producer in a food web. Plants are the producers.
- Thinking rainforest soil is rich because the forest is productive. Most nutrients are in the plants and litter, not the soil.
- Leaving out the local reason when asked about local factors. Volcanoes or ice-covered highlands can explain where plants grow.
Exam tip
Section A of Paper 3 is short, about 8 to 10 marks. For Name two or State two, only your first two answers are marked, so do not list four. A 1-mark State needs one short line. Use data from the resource booklet when the question tells you to.
Free practice questions
7 questions, 12 marks. Answer, then press Check. The marking guide explains how the marks are worked out. Nothing is saved.
- Question 1 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
Which statement best explains where ecosystems grow in Iceland?
- Question 2 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
Which statement correctly explains why some biomes have a higher population density than others?
- Question 3 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
A farmer clears an area of Amazon rainforest and grows crops. Which statement best explains why the soil loses fertility within a few years?
- Question 4 · Fill the gaps[3 marks]
Green plants are ___, animals are ___, and fungi that break down dead matter are ___.
Word bank: producers · predators · decomposers · consumers
- Question 5 · Fill the gaps[2 marks]
Rainforest grows near the ___ because air ___ there, which brings heavy rain.
Word bank: sinks · poles · Equator · rises
- Question 6 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
Where is tropical rainforest found?
- Question 7 · Sort into groups[3 marks]
Sort each feature into tropical rainforest or temperate deciduous forest.
Four seasons with cold winters
Rain falls in every month
Drip tips on leaves