UK Ecosystems (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)

12% of the UK land is woodland

Spread around the country in pockets

At least 80% of UK woodland is less than 100 years old

The oldest and rarest natural woodland is in north-west Scotland. It is a temperate rainforest adapted to the cool, wet climate of the UK

Some woodlands are deciduous broadleaved trees that lose their leaves in winter. Others are coniferous woods that have needle-like leaves.

Common plants are bluebells and ferns

Common animals are deer and badgers.

Found in lowland, porous, sandy soiled areas of the southern UK, such as the New Forest, Surrey Heaths and parts of Suffolk

Heathlands are not very fertile, as nutrients are easily washed out and the soil is usually acidic

Lowland heathland is dominated by heather and gorse

Poorly managed heathland allows bracken or silver birch to grow

Common plants are heather and gorse

Common animals are rabbits

Wetlands include open waters, floodplains, rivers, streams, and ponds. Floodplains are a key location of wetlands such as the River Severn and the Somerset Levels. Other major wetlands include Norfolk Broads; Otmoor, Oxfordshire and Minsmere, Suffolk

Wetlands contain waterlogged soils that are very fertile and support a variety of vegetation

Common plants include reeds and bulrushes

Common animals are otters and many types of birds

Found in upland areas where rainfall is high

Mainly occurs above 250 metres, and is found in the Pennines, North Yorkshire, the Cheviot Hills on the Scottish Borders, Wales and most of upland Scotland such as the Cairngorms

Developed over time, the UK’s moorlands have been heavily used as grazing land, which has prevented the growth of trees and shrubs

High altitude, strong winds, heavy rainfall and cloud cover restrict the growth of plants and form peat bogs and rough grassland

Common plants are heather and bracken

Common animals are deer, foxes and grouse

North Sea oil and gas reserves lie beneath the sea floor

Offshore wind energy reduces the reliance on fossil fuels. The London Array is one of the largest offshore wind farms, with 175 wind turbines

Energy is also generated from tidal currents, barrages and waves

Exhausted offshore oil and gas wells can be used to store CO2 from burning fossil fuels

Sea angling contributes over £1.5 billion a year to the UK economy

Wild foraging of shoreline plants such as samphire and kale for use in high-end restaurants

UK fisheries and aquaculture provide thousands of jobs 

Around 250 million people visit the coast each year, generating income and employment for local people

Education and conservation opportunities include day trips to see bottle-nosed dolphins and sea otters

Saltmarsh and seagrass provide coastal defence against flooding and coastal erosion

Coastal waters help to regulate the climate by absorbing greenhouse gases and releasing oxygen