Y11 IGCSE Section 4 summary Ecology and environment

Hi Y11,

 Here is a summary of what you need to know and need to be able to do for Section 4, along with links to useful resources.

 I hope this is useful. I realise it doesn't look very user friendly on the blog but you should be able to download the document.

 As always, if you have any questions or problems please let me know.

 Miss Maddy

Y10 Kidney work

Hi Y10,

You have been looking at homeostasis generally, but you will need to look at the kidney in some detail.

Here is the relevant part of the specification.

2.60 describe the structure of a nephron, to include Bowman’s capsule and
glomerulus, convoluted tubules, loop of Henlé and collecting duct
2.61 describe ultrafiltration in the Bowman’s capsule and the composition of the
glomerular filtrate
2.62 understand that water is reabsorbed into the blood from the collecting duct
2.63 understand that selective reabsorption of glucose occurs at the proximal
convoluted tubule
2.64 describe the role of ADH in regulating the water content of the blood
2.65 understand that urine contains water, urea and salts.

The kidney info is towards the end of this clip

Good clip on homeostasis

This one is more specifically about the kidney

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB7tSHqR1eY

Notes on the kidney

Miss Maddy

Y11, ecology

Hi Y11,

You have been looking at human influences on the environment. I now want you to start looking at the way we can study the environment and the organisms within it.

Here are the objectives I want you to look at. Please find definitions of the key words.


4.1 understand the terms population, community, habitat and ecosystem
4.2 explain how quadrats can be used to estimate the population size of an
organism in two different areas
4.3 explain how quadrats can be used to sample the distribution of organisms in
their habitats.

Some useful definitions

s-cool notes

On sampling, quadrats etc

Miss Maddy

Y12 Infectious diseases introduction

Hi Y12,

Here is the link to the documentary one infectious diseases I would like you to watch.

Horizon Infectious diseases

And some much shorter clips on cholera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGDEqcJ1skE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nRSzysJTyQ

Enjoy!

Miss Maddy

Y11 Update

Hi Y11,

You should still be working on human influences on the environment, but start to look at these objectives now.

4.9 understand the biological consequences of pollution of air by sulfur dioxide
and by carbon monoxide
4.10 understand that water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and
CFCs are greenhouse gases
4.13 understand that eutrophication can result from leached minerals from fertiliser
4.14 understand the effects of deforestation, including leaching, soil erosion,
disturbance of the water cycle and of the balance in atmospheric oxygen and
carbon dioxide.

The links I posted previously will also help with these objectives, as will your textbook. Any problems please contact me. I hope to be back with you soon!

http://mrexham.com/igcse/4-ecology-and-the-environment/4-2-human-influences-on-the-environment/

Miss Maddy

Hi Y10,

I would like you to start looking at the objectives below, and to find out what homeostasis is. Find a definition of it!

Flowering plants
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
2.56 understand the origin of carbon dioxide and oxygen as waste products of
metabolism and their loss from the stomata of a leaf
Humans
2.57 understand that the lungs, kidneys and skin are organs of excretion
2.58 understand how the kidney carries out its roles of excretion and of
osmoregulation
2.59 describe the structure of the urinary system, including the kidneys, ureters,
bladder and urethra

http://internationalgcsebiology.wikispaces.com/Excretion

http://askmichellebiology.blogspot.com.es/2012/08/excretion-humans.html

Miss Maddy

Y11 Human influences on the environment.

Hi Y11,

You have done work on food production recently and uses of microorganisms. You now need to move on to looking at how humans affect the environment, and I would like you to start this by looking at the causes and consequences of global warming.

4.11 understand how human activities contribute to greenhouse gases
4.12 understand how an increase in greenhouse gases results in an enhanced
greenhouse effect and that this may lead to global warming and its
consequences.

Here are some helpful links. Please let me know which of the links/resources (including your textbook) are the most helpful to you. There is lots of overlap here with Geography, so it would be great to see the geographers helping other members of the class!

http://igcsefriends.blogspot.com.es/2011/12/global-warming.html

http://internationalgcsebiology.wikispaces.com/Humans+influence+on+the+environment - if you click on the objectives a video clip comes up. Notes are underneath the objectives.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGTxR9jYmt8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcFPtTZ-RYA this clip is for A level Biology but I think it is clear and helpful, and only 5 mins long so give it a try.

Enjoy!

Miss Maddy