Battle for the biosphere

Question 1

What is a biome?

Answer 1

A global scale ecosystem.

Question 2

What is meant by biotic and abiotic?

Answer 2

Biotic means living organisms and abiotic a physical non living object.

Question 3

Why is it warmer at the equator that at a greater latitude?

Answer 3

As the sun’s rays are more concentrated at the equator, and more spread at a greater latitude due to the earth’s curve.

Question 4

What heats and cools quicker, land or sea?

Answer 4

Land. This means that in the summer inland continental places are warmer, and in the winter cooler than coastal regions.

Question 5

Is altitude a global or local factor?

Answer 5

Local.

Question 6

What three factors regulate temperature on a global scale?

Answer 6

Latitude
Continental or coastal climate
Altitude, the temperature is 1 degree cooler every 100m of altitude.

Question 7

Where is there the most precipitation?

Answer 7

In the areas of transition between Hadley cells.

Question 8

What is orographical rainfall?

Answer 8

Rain caused by mountains

Question 9

What is the albedo?

Answer 9

The colour of the surface to represent how much the land is heated locally.

Question 10

What services does the rainforest provide for the atmosphere?

Answer 10

Water vapour to the atmosphere through transpiration. In return the atmosphere provides cloud cover for the rainforest, which provides precipitation for the vegetation.
Also, plants in the rainforest transfer oxygen to the atmosphere, helping to maintain air quality. Plants also store carbon dioxide as a carbon sink.

Question 11

What services does the rainforest provide for the hydrosphere?

Answer 11

Vegetation intercepts precipitation and transfers it slowly to the soil (drip flow). Because infiltration is slowed down, all water can percolate into the soil so surface run-off is reduced. This reduces flood risk.
Also, plant roots bind soil together and vegetation intercepts surface run-off. Both reduce soil erosion and the amount of sediment going into rivers, which maintains water quality.

Question 12

What services does the rainforest provide for the Geosphere?

Answer 12

The rainforest maintains soil moisture, and produces nutrient rich humus when dead leafs (leaf litter) decay in the hot humid conditions. Therefore, nutrients are recycled!

Question 13

What goods does the biosphere provide?

Answer 13

• Food (from animals and vegetation)
• Materials (wood and paper)
• Medicine (Asprin from willow tree)
• Oxygen
• Trap moisture (a way of getting water/fog nets in the Atacama desert)
• Gene pool (GM crops)
• Palm oil

Question 14

What is biodiversity?

Answer 14

The number of different species and plants in an area.

Question 15

What are the four layers of the rainforest?

Answer 15

(Going upwards) Forest floor - Understory layer - Canopy layer - Emergent layer.

Question 16

What are the direct threats to the rainforest?

Answer 16

Deforestation
‘The players’ who are governments and TNC’s
Locals illegally logging
Indigenous people

Question 17

What are the indirect threats to the rainforest?

Answer 17

Climate change

Global warming

Question 18

Why does deforestation occur?

Answer 18

Poverty (locals who illegally log and sell due to demand)
Debt (locals who illegally log and sell due to demand)
Economic development (building materials)
Demand of resources (paper and wood for appliances)

Question 19

Why is palm oil leading to deforestation in Brazil?

Answer 19

Palm oil is in high demand as it is used excessively in the food industry as cooking oil, and in many common food items like Marmite and Ice cream. Also, palm oil is used as lubricants, soaps and detergents, and in the production of biodiesel.