Biosphere and Biomes Flashcards
0
Q
People who study ecology
A
Ecologists
1
Q
Ecology
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The study of living organisms, their relationships to one another, and to the place where they live
2
Q
Biosphere
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- Part of the earth where organisms are able to live.
- Consists of the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.
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Importance of the atmosphere for organisms
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- Gases for respiration & photosynthesis.
- Filters sunlight to protect organisms.
4
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Biome
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Large areas with characteristic climates and similar species of plant and animal.
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Ecosystem
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Communities of organisms interacting with each other (biotic) and with the non-living environment (abiotic)
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Biological community
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All populations of different species in a particular ecosystem
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Q
Habitat
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The physical home of an organism in a particular ecosystem
8
Q
Niche
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The role/ job an organism performs in a particular ecosystem
9
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Population
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- All the organisms of the same species in a specific area particular ecosystem
- e.g. All lions in Kruger
10
Q
Species
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A group of organisms of one kind that are capable of interbreeding to produce viable offspring
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Organism
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A single individual of a particular species
12
Q
Gases that cause acid rain
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- Carbon dioxide
- Sulfur dioxide
- Both of these combine with water to form sulphuric and carbonic acids
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Q
Two main categories of aquatic biomes
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- Freshwater
- Marine (salty water)
14
Q
Important abiotic factors for sandy shores
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- shifting sand
- wave action
- tides
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Characteristic animals in sandy shores
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- plough snail
- white mussel
- ghost crab
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Threats to sandy shores
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- Chemical pollution e.g. oil from ships
- Sewage
- Litter
- Vehicles driving on beach
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Important abiotic factors for rocky shores
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- wave action
- tides
- type of rock
- slope
- salinity and pH in pools
- sunlight
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Q
Characteristic animals in rocky shores
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- Mussels,
- oysters,
- limpets,
- periwinkles,
- barnacles
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Characteristic plants in rocky shores
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Seaweeds (red, green and brown)
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Threats to rocky shores
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- Illegal collection of organisms
- Chemical pollution e.g. oil from ships
- Sewage
- Litter
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Coral reef organisms
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- Corals growing in big colourful clumps
- Diverse species of fish
- Anemones
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Threats to coral reefs
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- Global warming
- Pollution
- Over fishing
- Collecting fish and corals
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Q
Coral reef abiotic factors
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- Nutrient poor sea waters
- Warm tropical water
- Clear water, lots of sunlight
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Open sea organisms
* Phytoplankton (plant like plankton)
* Zooplankton (animal like plankton)
* Fish
* Whales and dolphins
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Threats to the open sea
* Pollution from ships e.g. oil
* Overfishing
* Pollution from dumping e.g. mercury
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Estuaries
Where fresh and seawater meet and mix
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Important abiotic factors for estuaries
* Variable salinity
* Often nutrient rich
* Relatively sheltered waters (compared to the sea)
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Organisms found at estuaries
Breading grounds for:
* Fish
* Birds
* Crustaceans
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Different types of estuaries
* coastal bays
* river mouths
* salt marshes
* tropical mangrove forests
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Threats to estuaries
Quality of river water e.g. from farms upstream:
* Fertilizers
* Pesticides
* Herbicides
* Soil erosion leading to excess silt
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Examples of fresh water biomes
* rivers
* streams
* ponds
* lakes
* wetlands
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What are wetlands?
* Areas with waterlogged soil or soil covered by shallow water
* They may be permanent or seasonal
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The importance of wetlands
* Flood controllers - regulate water flow
* Water filters - trap sediments and hold nutrients
* Wildlife habitats - food and shelter for many animals
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Plants common in wetlands
* reeds
* grasses
* water lilies
* trees
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Animals common in wetlands
* Birds for breeding
* Frogs
* Small fish
* Many insects
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Threats to wetlands
* Alien plant invasion
* draining wetlands for other land use:
* e.g. farmland, rubbish dumps & dams
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Terrestrial biomes in South African
* Fynbos
* Forest
* Thicket
* Succulent Karoo
* Nama Karoo
* Grassland
* Savanna
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Biome of mixed grassland with trees
Savanna
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Abiotic features of savannas
* Infertile soil
* Well drained porous soil
* Hot summers with rain
* Cold, dry winters
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Animals characterising South African savannas (at least 5)
* giraffe
* antelope
* lion
* buffalo
* leopard
* cheetah
* hippo
* zebra
* elephant
* hornbills
* vultures
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Economic importance of South African savannas
* Tourism
* Game hunting
* Cattle farming
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Abiotic features of South African grasslands
* High rainfall often from thunderstorms
* Frost in winter
* Deep fertile soils
* Regular fires
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Plants of the South African grasslands
"Sweet" grasses good for grazers
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Animals of the South African grasslands (at least 5)
Lions
Antelope:
* blesbok
* wildebeest
* rietbok
* rhebok
* eland
* springbok
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Threats to South African grasslands
* Commercial forestry
* farming (very productive land)
* only 1% of grasslands in nature reserves
* (conservationists suggested a minimum of 10%)
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Position of the Nama Karoo
Transition between Cape Floral Kingdom and Savanna
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Nama Karoo abiotic features
* Warm, dry semi-desert
* Sandy, lime rich soil
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Plants of the Nama Karoo
* Sweet-Thorn
* stone plants (succulent)
* Karoo daisy (annual)
* Grasses and shrubs
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Animals of the Nama Karoo
* rodents
* fox
* jackal
* ostrich
* reptiles
* birds
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Succulent Karoo abiotic features
* Light winter rainfall
* Very hot and dry summers
* Sandy, nutrient poor soils
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Plants of the Succulent Karoo
* Succulent plants
* Annual plants e.g. west coast daisy's
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Animals of the Succulent Karoo
* dassies
* mole-rat
* barking gecko
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Threats to the Karoo biomes
* Overgrazing by sheep and goats
* Highly prone to soil erosion
* Trampling
* Over collection of plants
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Fynbos abiotic features
* Cold, wet winters
* hot, dry summers
* strong winds
* fires every 15-20 years
* sandy acidic soils
* mountainous
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Plants of the fynbos
* Evergreen fine-leafed shrubs
* In sheltered ravines: transition to thicket/forests
Key groups:
* Proteoid
* Ericoid
* Restioid
* Geophytes
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Animals of the fynbos
* leopard
* rooikat
* grysbok
* rodents
* dassies
* sunbirds
* sugarbirds
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Economic importance of fynbos
* wild flowers e.g. Proteas
* rooibos tea
* restios for thatching
* fruit farming e.g. grapes
* wheat farming
* olive farming
* grazing livestock
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Threats to fynbos
* Global warming
* Uncontrolled/excessive fires
* Invasive alien species
* Land transformation (urban and agricultural)
* Illegal collection of plants
* Dams
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Abiotic features of South African forests
* High rainfall
* No fires
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Plants in South African forests
* Different height trees (many species)
* Ferns
* Vines
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Animals in South African forests
* bushbuck
* bush pig
* Knysna Lourie
* Woodpecker
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Threats to South African forests
* Fire
* Tree felling
* collecting firewood and bark
* Mining
* clearing of farmland
* Fragmentation and isolation (found only in small patches)
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Abiotic features of South African thicket
* River valleys with water
* Thick, rich soil
* A range of sandy to clay soils
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Plants in South African thicket
* Thorn trees
* Shrubs
* Spiny plants and succulents
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Animals in South African thicket
* Monkeys
* Rodents
* Black Rhino
* Elephant
* Kudu
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Tides
* A regular rising and falling of the sea level
* Caused by gravitational pull of the moon (and sun)
* Locally a period of about 6 hours between high and low tides
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Biodiversity
* The variety of living things
* e.g. the number of different species there are in a particular area
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Subtidal
* Below the low spring water level
* Not directly affected by tides
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Perennial
All year round (or at least three seasons)
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Annual
A plant that completes its entire life cycle within the space of a year
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Endemic
Found naturally only in a particular area and nowhere else in the world
