Biomes and the Biospheres Flashcards
What is a biome?
A large area characterised by certain types of animals
How does the global circulation model link to biomes
There is a desert bit above the equator as sinking air means no rainfall so hot and dry climates
Give an example where high and low pressure of cells influence the position of biomes
The polar cell I’m the poles is low pressure so no precipitation hence the arctic and tundra biomes present there
Give 5 factors that affect biome location and state wether the scale of their impact is on a local or a global scale
- solar radiation = global scale
- precipitation = global scale
- temperature = global scale
- altitude = local scale
- geology = local scale
What are the 7 different biomes
For each one describe the climate, resulting vegetation and where it is
- tropical savanna: hot and dry grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees between tropical rainforest and desert biome
- tropical rainforest: very hot and wet with greatest biodiversity on earth found near the equator
- Arctic and alpine tundra: below freezing at night all year, there is little precipitation, short growing season and no nutrients. It covers 1/5 of the earth
- desert: very hot and dry and little grows
- temperate boreal Forest: a cold woodland located north of the temperate deciduous forest as a north coniferous forest. It’s found in Canada, Europe Asia and the USA covering 50 million acres of land as the largest biome
- temperate deciduous Forest: there are the four seasons and no extreme climates. And can be found in Eastern half in North America, middle of Europe and Asia
- chaparral: it is very hot and dry so fires and droughts are common, most plants have small hard leaves and have adapted to the climate, found in west coast USA, west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, western tip of Australia and areas of the Mediterranean
- grassland: annual precipitation is great enough to support grasses, flowers and herbs with rolling terrains but is unpredictable so drought and fire prevent large forests growing
How does latitude affect the temperature of biomes?
Sunlight arriving in t tropics is highly concentrated so there be more plants compared to the poles where it’s more thinly spread out so less plants
How does altitude affect biomes?
Temperatures fall by 0.6° for every 100 meters increase in altitude so tropical rain forest develops into coniferous forest and tundra as you gain height and move inland
How does drainage affect biomes?
Affects local conditions and vegetation as poorly drained land close to rivers is often occupied by swamps rather than grasslands or forests
How does geology affect biomes?
Limestone bedrock creates dry soil conditions as percolating rainwater passes through it relatively easily
What biome does the U.K. have?
A temperate deciduous forest biome
What biome is in the northern polar region?
The arctic alpine tundra biome
What are the local factors that affect biomes?
Rock and soil type
Water availability and drainage
Altitude
How are rock and soil types a local factor for biomes?
- as rocks undergo chemical weathering and release chemicals into the soil
- soils can have different pHs
- plants that grow depend on the pHs of the soil
How is water availability and drainage a local factor for biomes?
- some plants can grow in very wet soils while others prefer it dry
- soil wetness depends on the amount of evaporation from soil and permeability of the soil
How does height of land affect biomes?
- temp drops by 6.5°C for every 1000m increase in height
- high altitudes are commonly below 0° limiting type of plants that can grow
- amount of rainfall increase with height
How is the altitude a local factor for biomes?
- Altitudinal zone is formed as temp and precipitation changes with height causing changes to the ecosystem
- below 1000m is the tropical rainforest
- above the tree line trees can’t grow as the temps are too cold
What height is the tree line?
4000m
Describe the altitudes and the environment/ vegetation at each level
▪️0-1000 = tropical rainforest
▪️1000-2000 = mountain forest
▪️2000-3000= cloud forest
▪️3000-4000=shrubs grasses and flowers (here is the tree line)
▪️4000-5000= mountain and tundra
▪️6000= snow line and above this glaciers are common
What is the biotic part of a biome?
It’s the living part made of flora (plants) and fauna (animals)
What are Indigenous people?
People who naturally originate in a certain place as natives
What are transnational corporations?
Countries that operate in more than one country and operate branches overseas
What is the monetary value of rainforests each year?
$4-trillion dollars to the worlds economy each year
What are provision of goods in the rainforest and give 4 examples
Products obtained from the ecosystem
- food like nuts, berries, fish, game, crops e.c.t.
- fuelwood
- timber for buildings and other uses like furniture
- genetic and chemical material
What are regulating services in the rainforest and give 2 examples
Aspects that keep the entire planet healthy
- storing carbon and emitting oxygen (atmosphere balance)
- purifying water and regulating the hydrological cycle
What are supporting services in the rainforest and give 3 examples
They keep the ecosystem healthy in order to provide the other services
- soil formation
- nutrient cycling
- photosynthesis and foodwebs
What are cultural services in the rainforest and give 3 examples
Aspects that can benefit people by either visiting or living in a healthy ecosystem
- recreation and tourism
- education and areas for scientific research
- spiritual well being and happiness
How do rainforest tribes provide food?
- go into beehives and take the honey
- use wood from trees for cooking fires
- gather wild yams, nuts and mushrooms from the rainforest
- use plants and honey for traditional medicine
How do rainforest tribes use trade?
They hunt the giant forest hog and then sell its meat to others in the region for items in return like pans or rice
How do rainforest tribes have shelter?
They build small circular houses from wood and leaves
What are the three key services forest biomes provide to the planet?
Healthy air, healthy soil, water supply, protection against flood risk
What is a carbon sink?
A store of carbon outside of the atmosphere
What ways does a forest biome store the carbon which is found on the planet?
- as biomass
- naturally e.g. in carbon dioxide or methane
What 2 ways can humans destroy biomes and affect carbon stores?
Through deforestation like burning trees and destroying soil
What ways can humans affect the nutrient cycle?
- Removing biomass like logging timber
- by carrying out deforestation making those areas at risk of soil erosion
What are all the implications of not having trees in the water cycle?
- interception is reduced and rainfall hits the soil surface directly causing soil erosion
- infiltration is reduced ground water supplies become low
- surface runoff increases meaning water enters the river much quicker making flooding more frequent and the river water dirty from soil
- soil dries out much quicker so overall evaporation is reduced which can lead to fewer clouds and a dry climate
What are the causes of deforestation?
- logging
- cattle farming
- mining
- forest fires
- urbanisation
- dams
Explain each reason why the demand of natural resources is increasing
- increase of population: it causes a greater demand for resources like food causing destruction of forest for and farmland
- increasing wealth of people: as they are able to use more energy which takes more fossil fuels so increased mining
- increased urbanisation: more people living in towns and cities will increase their size into the forest
What does ecosystem services for indigenous people mean?
The original people of the region
What does exploiting ecosystem services mean?
Temporary destruction of the rainforest
What does destroying ecosystem services mean?
Destroying the ecosystem for profit often involving TNC’s and the government
What uses of the rainforest are ecosystem services for indigenous people?
- small circular houses built from wood and leaves
- timber used to make paper, furniture and construction woods
- hunting fish in rivers, monkey and antelope
- gathering of nuts, berries and mushrooms
- Use of plants and honey to make traditional medicines and wood for cooking
What uses of the rainforest are exploiting ecosystem services?
- local farmers clear small areas by cutting and burning
- ash from burning adds nutrients to the soil
- land is farmed for 5-6 yrs but soil then becomes infertile and the farmers move on
What uses of the rainforest are destroying ecosystem services?
- Mining metal ores like copper and iron
- commercial farming like beef cattle and fodder crops like soybeans
- commercial crops like palm oil, cocoa beans and cereals
- construction of dams and reservoirs for hydroelectric power
When did Thailand’s urban population grow and what to?
From 1990-2015, to went from 17million to 34 million due to the high levels of development in rural areas
How has India’s car ownership increased?
Between 2000 and 2015, it jumped from 6 million to 30 million cars
What is the Malthus theory?
There will be not enough resources to meet the demands for the growing population
What is the Boserup theory?
Technology will be able to provide resources for the growing population
What does exponential growth mean?
Growth that increases at an increasing rate and so will get faster
What is the future outcome of the growth of the population?
Population will decline because there is too many people and not enough food so people will die
What two ways could population fall to create a balance between food and population? Give examples of each
- positive checks like war, starvation and famine
- preventative checks like People marrying later and having fewer children
What was the title of boserup’s book published in 1965?
The conditions of agricultural growth
How does the population react to an increase in its numbers in relation to food production?
More people mean new and innovative ideas are more likely so there are new ways of producing more food
What technology did boserup believe would help alleviate the issues with food production?
Farm machinery, fertilisers and genetically modified crops
Give 2 arguments that support the Malthus theory
- local famine like the potato famine in Ireland in 1840 and the Ethiopian famine in 1984
- the earth’s population is expected to rise to 12 billion and may not support the increase
Give 2 arguments that support the boserup theory
- food production has become more technologically advanced
- some resources are finite yet there are other sustainable resources being used and discovered
