World Biomes Under Threat

Understanding Past and Present Dangers Environmental Science for Year 5 Including Australian Biomes and Oceans

What is a Biome?

Think about different places on Earth What makes a desert different from a rainforest? How do plants and animals adapt to their environment?

The World's Major Biomes

Tropical Rainforests - hot and wet all year Deserts - very dry with little rainfall Grasslands - open areas with grass and few trees Forests - areas with many trees Tundra - cold regions with frozen ground Aquatic - oceans, rivers, and lakes

Australian Biomes

Desert - covers most of central Australia Grasslands - found in eastern and northern areas Temperate forests - along the east coast Tropical rainforests - in far north Queensland Mediterranean scrublands - in southern Australia Marine environments - Great Barrier Reef

Threats to World Biomes Timeline

Deforestation - Cutting Down Our Forests

Trees are cut down faster than they can grow back Happens for farming, cities, and wood products Animals lose their homes Less oxygen is produced More carbon dioxide stays in the air

Ocean Pollution Detective

Look at the ocean scene Count how many types of pollution you can spot Discuss what each type of pollution does to sea life Think of solutions for each problem

Climate Change Effects on Biomes

{"left":"Rising temperatures melt ice caps\nCoral reefs bleach and die from warm water\nDeserts expand into grasslands","right":"Some animals must move to find suitable homes\nWeather becomes more extreme with stronger storms\nGrowing seasons change affecting food chains"}

The Great Barrier Reef Under Threat

World's largest coral reef system Home to thousands of species Threatened by warming water temperatures Pollution from farms and cities Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks Coral bleaching events becoming more frequent

How Do Invasive Species Threaten Biomes?

What happens when a new animal or plant is introduced to an ecosystem? Can you think of any examples in Australia? Why might native species struggle to compete?

Past Environmental Disasters

Dust Bowl in America (1930s) - poor farming practices Chernobyl nuclear accident (1986) - radiation contamination Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989) - marine pollution These events taught us important lessons Led to better environmental protection laws

Biome Protection Action Plan

Choose one threatened biome Identify the main threats Design three solutions Create a poster showing your action plan Present your ideas to the class