Chapter 3 - Ecosytems Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
A community of abiotic and biotic things all interacting
What does abiotic mean? Give ex likes of abiotic things ( in an ecosystem )
Something that is not living, e.g. the climate, rocks, soil, the water, the atmosphere.
What does biotic mean? Give some examples (in an ecosystem )
Something that is living e.g. plants, animals, bacteria.
Describe each stage of energy flow, how energy gets to the top of the “pyramid”.
Hint: ends up at tertiary consumer
The energy is emitted from the sun in form of light. This is then transformed into sugar/ food by photosynthesis by producers (although some producers gain energy in other ways). This energy is then transferred to the primary consumer as it eats the producers. This energy is then transferred again as the secondary consumers eats the primary consumer. Then again as the tertiary consumer eats the secondary consumer
What is the difference between a food web and chain?
A web includes more than one, often, connection between animals and includes more than just one animal at each place on the “pyramid” unlike in a food chain which does just that
Give some key facts about hedgerows
They provide a barrier/ shelter for animals
They absorb 6p0-8pp kg of CO2 per km/yr
Contains 5 or more different woody species each
Provide animal habitat
Provide a niche habitat as they can be old and have had many animals live there before, leaving places such as burrows already made
How many biomes are there? Of marine, water, and terrestrial, land? Name all of them
There are 2 water biomes:the sea/marine biome, the fresh water biome.
There are 6 major land biomes: the desert, the tundra, the coniferous forest, the rainforest, the deciduous forest, grassland.
Explain what happens in the nutrients cycle
Rainfall and solar energy is put into the system
Dead leaves and animals fall to the ground
Decomposers break down the dead leaves and animals
The nutrients is returned to the soil
Plants use released nutrients for growth
The cycle starts again
Give some examples of decomposers
Bacteria, fungi, snails
What is the climate like it the rainforest?
Wet and humid, 27-28 degrees Celsius
What is the soil like in the rainforest?
There is a very thin layer at the top called the humus layer where all the nutrients is held and quickly used and replaced due to the nutrients cycle. There are many less nutritious layers under this layer of soil.
What is the vegetation/ animals of the rainforest like?
Very biodiverse, around 50 millions species in the rainforest, 50% of land based species are located in the Amazon.
Give some examples of rainforest stakeholders against deforestation
Other nations Charities Indigenous tribes Scientists and researchers Environmentalists Tourists Tourist companies
Give some examples of rainforest stakeholders for deforestation
Farmers, ranchers, commercial agriculture
Logging companies
Housing developers
Road building companies
Give some examples of rainforest stakeholders against and for deforestation
The government (of the country e.g. Amazon, the Brazilian government)
World wide population, who uses (some regularly) the products
Other companies who may benefit from both
