3.1.2 Section B: The living world Flashcards
Abiotic
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Relating to non-living parts of an ecosystem.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Consumer
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
An animal that eats animals and/or plant matter.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Decomposer
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue, which is then recycled to the environment.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Ecosystem
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
A community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Food chain
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely on one another as their source of food.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Food web
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
A complex interconnection of all the food chains in an ecosystem.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Nutrient cycling
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
A set of processes whereby organisms extract minerals necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain - and ultimately back to the soil and water.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Global ecosystem
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
A very large ecological area on the earth’s surface, with fauna and flora (animals and plants) adapting to their environment. Examples include tropical rainforest and hot desert.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
Producer
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
An organism that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis.
3.1.2.1 Ecosystems
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Appropriate technology (or Intermediate technology)
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Technology that is suited to the needs, skills, resources, knowledge and wealth of local people in the environment in which they live.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Biodiversity
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Desertification
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
The process by which land becomes drier and degraded, as a result of climate change or human activities, or both.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Hot desert
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
An ecosystem that is characterised by high average temperatures and very low precipitation.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Over-cultivation
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Exhausting the soil by over-cropping the land.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Overgrazing
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Grazing too many livestock for too long on the land, so vegetation cover is depleted and is unable to recover.
3.1.2.2 Tropical rainforests
Fragile environment
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
An environment that is both easily disturbed and difficult to restore if disturbed. Plant communities in fragile areas have evolved in highly specialised ways to deal with challenging conditions. As a result, they cannot tolerate environmental changes.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Infrastructure
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
The basic equipment and structures (such as roads, utilities, water supply and sewage) that are needed for a country or region to function.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Mineral extraction
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
The removal of solid mineral resources from the earth. These resources include ores, which contain commercially valuable amounts of metals (eg iron and aluminium), precious stones (eg diamonds), building stones (eg granite), and solid fuels (eg coal and oil shale).
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Permafrost
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Permanently frozen ground, found in polar and tundra regions.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Polar
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
The regions of Earth surrounding the North and South Poles. These regions are dominated by Earth’s polar ice caps, the northern resting on the Arctic Ocean and the southern on the continent of Antarctica.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Tundra
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
The flat, treeless Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America, where the ground is permanently frozen. Lichen, moss, grasses and dwarf shrubs can grow here.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
Wilderness area
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
A natural environment that has not been significantly modified by human activity. Wilderness areas are the most intact, undisturbed areas left on Earth – places that humans do not control and have not developed.
3.1.2.4 Cold environments
