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