Biomes (7)

Question 1

Climate of TRFs?

Answer 1

-Same climate all year round - no definite seasons
-Hot (20-28C) - near the equator
-Same day length, plenty of sunshine - near the equator
-Very high rainfall (2000mm) - rains nearly every day

Question 2

Characteristics of TRFs

Answer 2

Plants:
-Most trees are evergreen - take advantage of continuous growing season
-Grow quickly and adapted to maximise intake of light

Animals:
-Dense vegetation provide lots of habitats - many species

Soil:
-Plants grow quickly and shed leaves all year round
-Decompose quickly, constant supply of nutrients

Question 3

Climate of Temperate Forests

Answer 3

-4 distinct seasons (warm summers, cool winters)
-Rainfall is high
-Days are shorter in winter, longer in summer (varying sunshine levels)

Question 4

Characteristics of Temperate Forests

Answer 4

Plants:
-Forests made up of broad-leaved plants that drop leaves in autumn eg. shrubs

Animals:
-Mild climate and range of plants provides food and habitats for mammals

Soil:
-Plants lose leaves in autumn - leaf litter decomposes quickly (nutrient-rich soil)

Question 5

Climate of Boreal Forests (Taiga)

Answer 5

-Short summers and long winters - cold winter temperatures (>-20C)
-Low precipitation - mostly snow (>500mm)
-Lots of daylight during the summer, but hardly anything in winter

Question 6

Characteristics of Boreal Forests (Taiga)

Answer 6

Plants:
-Most trees are evergreen. Coniferous trees eg. pine, fir are common

Animals:
-Relatively few animal species
-Less food available + relatively little time to adapt to climate

Soil:
-Cool, dry climate means needles decompose slowly - nutrient-poor soils
-Frozen ground, acidic soils

Question 7

Climate of Deserts

Answer 7

-Rainfall is very low (>250mm) - once every 2 or 3 years
-Hot desert temperatures range from very hot in the day (40C) -> cold at night (>0C)
-More daylight during summer than winter - many hours

Question 8

Characteristics of Deserts

Answer 8

Plants:
-Plant growth is sparse due to a lack of rainfall
-Few plant species - cacti, thornbushes

Animals:
-Relatively few species - have to be adapted
-Scorpions, snakes, insects, lizards

Soil:
-Sparse vegetation means that there is little leaf litter - slow decomposition
-Nutrient-poor soils

Question 9

Climate of the Tundra

Answer 9

-Low temperatures (around -30C) in the winter
-Low precipitation - mostly snow (>250mm)
-High latitudes - near continuous daylight in summer, no daylight in the winter

Question 10

Characteristics of the Tundra

Answer 10

Plants:
-Cold climate + lack of light makes it hard for plants to grow, hardly any trees
-Mosses, grasses, shrubs

Animals:
-Very few species - cold climate, lack of vegetation
-Arctic hares, arctic foxes, mosquitoes, birds

Soil:
-Sparse vegetation - little leaf litter- cold, dry climate leads to slow decomposition
-Nutrient-poor soils
-Large layer of PERMAFROST (stops water from draining away)

Question 11

Climate of Tropical Grassland

Answer 11

-Low rainfall (800-900mm)
-Distinct wet and dry seasons
-Near the equator - warm (15-35C) and get lots of sunshine

Question 12

Characteristics of Tropical Grassland

Answer 12

-Mostly grass and small plants, few trees
-Home to lots of insects eg. grasshoppers, beetles, termites and larger animals eg. lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, antelope
-Grass dies during the dry season , forming nutrient-rich soil, but nutrients are washed out during wet season

Question 13

Climate of Temperate Grassland

Answer 13

-Hot summers (40C) and cold winters (-40C)
-Low precipitation (250-500mm)
-Furthest from equator - light varies throughout the year

Question 14

What 4 factors is Biome distribution affected by?

Answer 14

Altitude
Rock type
Soil type
Drainage

Question 15

How is Biome distribution affected by Altitude?

Answer 15

-Higher altitudes are colder, therefore fewer plants grow there, limits animal species
-Not much organic matter, so soils are thin and nutrient-poor

Question 16

How is Biome distribution affected by Soil type?

Answer 16

-Nutrient-rich soils can support plants
-Acidity of soils affects which plants can grow eg. conifers grow in acidic peat soils

Question 17

How is Biome distribution affected by Rock type?

Answer 17

-Some rock types are easily weathered to form soils
-Different rock types contain different minerals, affecting the nutrients of the soil
-Some rocks are permeable and others are impermeable (water flow)

Question 18

How is Biome distribution affected by Drainage?

Answer 18

-Poor drainage systems can lead to waterlogged soils - plants adapted to wet conditions grow
-Very wet areas may be home to aquatic organisms

Question 19

How do Biotic and Abiotic components of Biomes interact?

Answer 19

1) Water availability affects the plants that grow
2) The type and density of vegetation that grows affects the soil that forms - affecting the next vegetation that grows
3) Some organisms cause biological weathering - when rocks are broken into smaller pieces by living things eg. tree roots

Question 20

What 4 important resources does the Biosphere provide?

Answer 20

Food
Medecine
Building materials
Fuel

Question 21

Describe ‘food’ in terms of resources from the Biosphere

Answer 21

-Many indigenous people get their food directly from plants/animals
-Some forage for fruit, vegetables and nuts or hunt for animals and fish

Question 22

Describe ‘medicine’ in resources of the Biosphere

Answer 22

-Lots of plants eg. Aloe have medicinal properties used to make drugs for humans
-Used to keep people healthy

Question 23

Describe ‘building materials’ in resources of the Biosphere

Answer 23

-Trees and other plants are often used for building materials to make furniture
-Plant fibres can be used to make rope

Question 24

Describe ‘fuel’ in resources of the Biosphere

Answer 24

-Indigenous people rely on plants and animals for fuel for cooking and keeping warm
-Wood, dried grass etc. is burnt as fuel
-Some areas eg. Tundra - with little plants - use blubber from animals such as seals

Question 25

How do Humans exploit the Biosphere? (Energy)

Answer 25

Energy:
-Demand increases as population increases - people have more energy intensive devices
-Large areas of forest are cleared for plantations of biofuels or mines
-Some areas were cleared for HEP - flooding the land
-Drilling in the Tundra leads to pipelines melting the permafrost

Question 26

How do Humans exploit the Biosphere? (Water)

Answer 26

Water:
-Demand increases as population increases - used in washing, farming etc.
-Resources such as rivers, lakes, aquifers (underground water stores) can be over-exploited
-Plants and animals no longer have enough water to survive

Question 27

How do Humans exploit the Biosphere? (Minerals)

Answer 27

-Minerals such as gold and iron are used in electrical appliances and building
-Often extracted by mining
-Deforestation occurs because of mining, toxic chemicals are released into environments - killing wildlife

Question 28

Other factors increasing Demand for resources?

Answer 28

Increasing Wealth
Urbanisation
Industrialisation

Question 29

How does Increasing Wealth affect Demand for resources?

Answer 29

-Economic development means people get wealthier
-They have more disposable income to spend on food, cars, fridges, televisions
-More people can afford appliances such as showers, dishwashers

Question 30

How does Urbanisation affect Demand for resources?

Answer 30

-Growth of proportion of a population living in urban areas
-Cities are more energy-intensive than rural areas (more neon lights for example)
-Food and water have to be transported over longer distances to meet rising demand

Question 31

How does Industrialisation affect Demand for resources?

Answer 31

-Shift from primary to secondary industry production
-Manufacturing goods such as cars, chemicals and electrical appliances uses lots of energy
-Uses lots of water as well

Question 32

What was Thomas Malthus’ theory?

Answer 32

If the population rises by too much, resources will eventually run out (too many people)

-Killed by famine, war, hunger, illness until the population returned to a stable number

Question 33

What was Ester Boserup’s theory?

Answer 33

As population increases, so can the amount of resources available

-Could make technological advances
-Could develop new resources through innovation and scientists