What does Edexcel Geography B Topic 7 cover?

Topic 7, People and the biosphere, covers the global distribution and characteristics of major biomes and how climate controls them, how local factors alter biome distribution, how the biosphere provides goods and services for people and is exploited commercially, the rising demand for food, water and energy, and the theories of Malthus and Boserup on population and resources. It is examined in Paper 3, People and Environment Issues.

A biome is a very large-scale natural ecosystem defined by its distinctive climate, vegetation and wildlife, for example tropical rainforest, desert or tundra. The major biomes form roughly latitudinal bands because the global atmospheric circulation controls temperature and precipitation by latitude.

How is Topic 7 examined in Paper 3?

People and the biosphere is part of Paper 3 (1 hour 30 minutes, 64 marks, 25 percent), which also includes Forests under threat, Consuming energy resources and a decision-making exercise. Expect multiple-choice, short-answer, data-response (climate graphs, world maps, population projection graphs) and extended-writing questions.

What is the difference between Malthus and Boserup?

Malthus was pessimistic: he argued population grows faster than food supply, so growth will outstrip resources and be checked by famine, disease and war. Boserup was optimistic: she argued rising population drives invention, so people find new ways to increase food production. Topic 7 expects you to explain and compare both.

How should I revise People and the biosphere?

Learn the major biomes and how climate and local factors control their distribution, then the goods and services the biosphere provides and why resource demand is rising. Master the Malthus and Boserup theories, and practise data response (climate graphs, world maps and population projection graphs) and the extended-writing comparisons, which reward a balanced judgement.

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Edexcel GCSE Geography B Topic 7 People and the biosphere: a complete overview of biomes, resources and population

A deep-dive Edexcel GCSE Geography B guide to Topic 7, People and the biosphere. Covers the distribution of global biomes, the goods and services the biosphere provides, rising resource demand, and the theories of Malthus and Boserup, with the exam patterns Edexcel B repeats in Paper 3.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.816 min read1GB0 Topic 7Updated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

Jump to a section

What Topic 7 actually demands
Global biomes and their distribution
The biosphere as a life-support system
Resources and population
How Topic 7 is examined
Check your knowledge

What Topic 7 actually demands

People and the biosphere opens Paper 3 (People and Environment Issues). It sets up the big picture of the living world: where biomes are and why, how people depend on the biosphere, and the growing pressure of population on resources. Edexcel B tests understanding of biome distribution, the ability to read climate and population data, and the two population-resource theories.

This guide walks through the topic in specification order, then sets out the exam patterns Edexcel B repeats. Each topic has a matching dot-point page; this overview ties them together.

Global biomes and their distribution

The topic opens with the major biomes (tropical, temperate and boreal forests, tropical and temperate grasslands, deserts, tundra) and how their distribution is controlled by climate (temperature, precipitation, sunshine), forming roughly latitudinal bands. It covers how local factors (altitude, rock and soil type, drainage) alter the pattern, and how the biotic and abiotic components of biomes interact.

The key skill is reading climate graphs to identify a biome and using world maps of biome distribution.

The biosphere as a life-support system

You study how the biosphere provides goods (food, medicine, building materials, fuel) for local people and is exploited commercially for energy, water and minerals, and how it provides services by regulating the atmosphere, soils and the water cycle.

The recurring marks come from explaining the regulating services and how damaging the biosphere weakens them.

Resources and population

The topic ends with the rising demand for food, water and energy (population growth, affluence, urbanisation, industrialisation) and the theories of Malthus (population outgrows resources) and Boserup (population drives invention).

Population projection graphs are common resources here.

How Topic 7 is examined

A typical Edexcel B profile for Topic 7:

Multiple choice and short answer. Defining biome terms, classifying biomes, and reading maps and graphs.
Data response. Reading climate graphs, world maps of biomes, and population projection graphs.
Explanation questions. Explaining biome distribution, the biosphere's services, or the two theories.
Extended answers. Comparing Malthus and Boserup, or assessing resource pressure, with a balanced, evidenced judgement and SPaG marks at stake.

Check your knowledge

A mix of recall and applied questions covering Topic 7. Attempt them under timed conditions, then check against the solutions.

Define the term biome. (1 mark)
Explain why tropical rainforests are found near the Equator. (3 marks)
Explain how one local factor can alter biome distribution. (2 marks)
Explain two services the biosphere provides. (4 marks)
Explain why demand for resources is rising. (3 marks)
Describe the difference between Malthus's and Boserup's theories. (4 marks)

Solutions

Q1: A very large-scale natural ecosystem defined by its distinctive climate, vegetation and wildlife.
Q2: Near the Equator, rising air gives high temperatures and heavy year-round rainfall, providing the constant warmth and water for dense, fast-growing forest with high biodiversity.
Q3: Altitude lowers temperature, so high mountains can have tundra-like conditions even in the tropics; or drainage, rock or soil type can change what grows locally.
Q4: The biosphere regulates the atmosphere (plants store carbon and release oxygen) and regulates the water cycle (interception and transpiration); it also maintains soil health.
Q5: Population growth means more people to supply, while rising affluence, urbanisation and industrialisation each increase the food, water and energy used per person and economy.
Q6: Malthus argued population grows faster than food, so growth is checked by famine; Boserup argued rising population drives invention, so food supply keeps up.

Sources & how we know this

Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Geography B (1GB0) specification — Pearson Edexcel (2016)