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An ecosystem is a community of animals, plants, micro-organisms, non-living things and their shared environment. Find out about energy transfer, niches and competition in ecosystems.

Abiotic factors are non-living variables. Biotic factors are the interactions between organisms. Both affect diversity and distribution. Sampling helps us to estimate numbers of organisms in an area.

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use sunlight energy to make their own food. It takes place inside the chloroplasts of plant cells.

All organisms require energy. The feeding relationship in an ecosystem can be shown in a foodchain. Learn about pyramids of biomass, energy and numbers.

A growing human population demands increased food production. Farmers try to meet that demand by intensive farming, using fertilisers and pesticides that are impacting on the environment.

Mutations can alter the genes of individuals in a beneficial or detrimental way and introduce variety into a species.

There is a range of apparatus that National 5 Biology students must have knowledge of. The course also involves being able to describe and carry out experimental and measuring techniques.