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GCSE Geography > 6) People & The Biosphere > Flashcards

6) People & The Biosphere Flashcards

1
Q

What are biomes?

A

Large scale ecosystems that have distinctive vegetation

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2
Q

What are the 4 major biomes?

A

Hot desert
Grasslands
Forests
Tundra

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3
Q

What are features of the tundra?

A

Long summer days, short winter days
Below freezing winters
Not much rain
Permafrost layer beneath soil

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4
Q

Where are temperate deciduous forests found?

A

Europe, USA, China

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5
Q

What are features of deciduous forests?

A

4 seasons with shedding leaves in winter

Rainfall all year

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6
Q

Where are tropical rainforests found?

A

Near the equator

Hot with high humidity

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7
Q

What are features of grasslands?

A

Wet season and dry season
Few trees
Between latitudes +23.5 and -23.5

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8
Q

What are features of hot deserts?

A

No rainfall, hot in day, freezing at night

Plants are heavily adapted to lack of water

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9
Q

What factors effect biome distribution?

A 
Climate
Altitude
Rock types
Soil types
Drainage
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10
Q

Where is nutrient rich soil found?

A

Where there are easily eroded rocks

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11
Q

What 2 components are biomes made up of?

A

Biotic

Abiotic

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12
Q

What are biotic components?

A

Living- plants (flora) and animals (fauna)

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13
Q

What are abiotic components?

A

Non-living- soil, rock, atmosphere, water

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14
Q

How does vegetation and soil effect where plants can live?

A

They determine how much dead matter is created and how much rainfall washes away the soil

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15
Q

What is the fauna like in tropical rainforests?

A

Full of biodiversity

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16
Q

What is the flora like in tropical rainforests?

A

Plants always grow as climate is the same all year
Battle for sunlight
Interdependence between vegetation on floor

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17
Q

What is the climate in tropical rainforests?

A

21 - 30 degrees year round
Up to 80 inches of rainfall a year
Rain washes away nutrients in soil

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18
Q

What are evergreen plants?

A

Plants that don’t shed their leaves in winter

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19
Q

Why do temperate forests have nutrient rich soil?

A

Leaf litter is broken down in autumn

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20
Q

What are boreal forests also called?

A

Taiga

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21
Q

What is the flora like in boreal forests?

A

Evergeen pine trees

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22
Q

What is the fauna like in boreal forests?

A

Species adapted to cold climate

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23
Q

What is the soil like in boreal forests?

A

Thin, acidic

Needles take a long time to decompose

24
Q

Rank the forests in terms of biodiversity

A

Tropical
Temperate
Boreal

25
What are tropical grasslands also known as?
Savannas
26
What is the flora like at tropical grasslands?
Small plants or grasses
27
What is the fauna like at tropical grasslands?
Large mammals | Insects
28
What is the soil like at tropical grasslands?
Grass dies in dry season and is very rich in nutrients | Rainfall at wet season washes nutrients away
29
What is the climate like at tropical grasslands?
``` High temperatures (20 - 35) Lots of sunshine ```
30
What is the soil like at temperate grasslands?
Thick and rich in nutriens as hot summers cause quick decomposition
31
What is the flora like at temperate grasslands?
Grasses or small plants
32
What is the fauna like at temperate grasslands comapred to tropical grasslands?
Fewer animal species
33
What is the desert climate like?
Little precipitation 45°C day -4°C night
34
What animals are found in the hot desert?
Snakes, lizards, amphibians | Often nocturnal due to hot days
35
What plants are found in hot deserts?
Cacti, shrubs | Plants who can survive with little rainfall
36
What is soil like in hot deserts?
Sandy Infertile and hard for plants to grow Little nutrients
37
What animals live in the tundra?
Wolves, small mammals
38
Who lives in the tundra?
Indigenous Inuit in Canada | Scientists in Antartica
39
What plants live in the tundra?
Little plant life
40
What is soil like in the tundra?
Permafrost covers the ground with a thin layer of infertile acidic soil on top
41
Where are tundra biomes found?
Alaska Finland Siberia
42
What is the tundra climate like?
Always below 10°C Winter average -35°C Low levels of rainfall Four seasons
43
What is the biosphere?
All parts of Earth’s surface and atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms
44
What resources are provided by the biosphere? (5)
``` Food Water Medicine Fuel resources Bulding materials ```
45
Where is there an increasing demand globally?
Larger global population | Economic development
46
What are examples of commercially exploited resources? (3)
Energy Minerals Water
47
How is mineral extraction often achieved?
Mining
48
What does the biosphere do? (3)
Maintain soil health Regulate hydrological cycle Regulate atmosphere composition
49
How does the biosphere maintain soil health?
Plant roots and certain animals spread nutrients and hold the soil together
50
What do plants minimise by intercepting rainfall?
Leaching
51
Why is energy consumption rising? (4)
Economic development and industrilisation Advances in technology Urbanisation Increasing population
52
How does economic development and industrilisation increase energy consumption?
People’s standard of living rises | Increased demand for energy and electricity
53
How have advances in technology increased energy consumption?
New technology requires energy or electricity to run
54
How has urbanisation increased energy consumption?
Higher incomes in bigger cities mean more energy is consumed
55
What is the Malthus theory?
The world’s population would surpass the amount of available resources
56
What did Malthus predict would occur due to a lack of resources?
Wars over resources Famine Death ‘point of catastrophe’
57
What is the Boserup theory?
Humans will always find a way to generate enough resources to support the human population

GCSE Geography (9 decks)

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