Ecosystems Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
-a community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment
What is a biome?
-an ecosystem on a global scale
How do sunlight hours affect the location of biomes?
- the arctic has very little sunshine hours in winter
- this makes it darker and colder leading to the formation of the tundra/boreal forest
- sunshine hours vary more considerably the further from the equator you are
- TRF gets 12 hours of sunlight a day all year
- this is because it is located at the equator
- this leads to a higher biodiversity
How does soil type affect the location of biomes?
- differences lead to different vegetation in the same ecosystem
- poor sandy soil in NW australia means grasses are shorter than in other areas of the tropical grassland
How does altitude affect the location of biomes?
- leads to different plants growing in the same ecosystem
- thr higher the altitude, the lower the tmep
- at low altitudes lowland rainforests grow and at cloud level moist cloud forests occur
What is the biosphere?
Sphere made up of living organisms.
How does the biosphere provide food for people?
medicine
- poppies make morphine
- aloe vera treats burns
- periwinkle treats leukemia
building materials
- straw for roofs and insulation
- timber
- animal dung for bricks
food
- fruits and berries
- wheat and rice
- fish and meat
fuel
- biofuels
- animal dung
- wood
How has overfishing impacted marine ecosystems?
- 6400 boats and 12,000 people working on them
- 14,000 people working for fish processing
- baby fish aren’t growing to be adult fish, which reduces the average size of a cod long term
How is agriculture affecting marine ecosystems?
-fertilisers used by farmers can lead to eutrophication from chemicals reaching the sea
How is tourism affecting marine ecosystems?
- 250 million people visit UK’s coastline each year
- supports 200,000 jobs
- 3 billion for the economy
- there is overcrowding, and littering which damages the environment
How do wind farms affect the marine ecosystems?
- the london array has 175 wind turbines
- birds get killed
- affects biodiversity
Why is there a large biomass in the TRF?
- due to high biodiversity
- which occurs due to the forest having really good growing conditions all year
Why is the litter and the soil store in the TRF small?
- nutrients are washed away due to high levels of rain
- litter;surface run off
- soil;leaching
Why are there large amounts of decomposition in the TRF?
-hot and humid conditions means dead veg decompose faster
Why is there a large amount of uptake in the TRF?
-large biomass
Why is the biomass small in the desert?
- harsh growing conditions
- low biodiversity
why is the soil store so big in the desert
- low levels of precipitation
- minimal leaching
Why is the litter store small in the desert?
-due to a small biomass
What is the nutrient cycle?
-describes how nutrients are transferred around an ecosystem
Why do TRFs have a large biodiversity?
- oldest ecosystem so species have been evolving for a long time
- layered structure so there is many wildlife habitats
- long hours of sunlight and warm- excellent conditions for photosynthesis
ground layer of TRF
- 0m
- soil is very infertile
- very damp and dark
Shrub layer of the TRF
0m-10m
- very little light
- smaller plants and shrubs
- insects
- large mammals such as jaguars
Sub-canopy of the TRF
- 10 to 20 metres
- shorter and younger trees
- shielded from heavy rain
Canopy of the TRF
- 20 to 30 metres
- continuous thick layer of trees
- very bright
- rapid growth
- most biodiverse layer
Emergent layer of the TRF
30 metres and above
- tallest trees
- birds and bats and butterflies
Describe how buttress roots are adapted to the tropical rainforest
- they are wide
- provide stability especially during storms
- grow outwards to absorb nutrients from top layer of soil
How are drip tips adapted to the TRF?
- they are pointed
- allows water to fall off it
- so it doesn’t break due to the weight of the water
How are lianas adapted to the TRF
-climbing plants use trees to get to the canopy where there’s lots of sunlight
How is the strangler fig adapted to the TRF?
- parasitic plant
- lives off of their host plant by removing nutrients from it
How are fan palms adapted to the TRF?
-very large leaves to absorb as much sunlight as possible for photosynthesis
How is the toucan adapted to the tropical rainforest?
- long bill
- reaches fruit from weak branches
- beak is full of blood vessels which helps regulate the bird body temperature
How is the sloth adapted to the TRF?
- the fur of the sloth grows away from its body so rain can drip off keeping the sloth dry
- sloth allows algae to grow for camouflage
How is the harpy eagle adapted to the TRF?
- strong legs and claws
- to catch prey from trees whilst still in flight
- increases chances of success and improves safety
How is the hummingbird adapted to the TRF?
- modified wings
- wings fly in a figure of eight motion allowing i to hover
- can collect nectar from the flowers without landing
List three good provided by the TRF?
- biodiversity would reduce if not maintained which means we would lose the cures to many diseases
- black pepper, coffee, bananas
- mahogany
list three services provided by the tropical rainforest
- oxygen
- plants store C02
- canopy stops the soil from being eroded by rain- prevents flooding
- white water rafting
What is climate change, structure, and function and biodiversity?
- a change in weather patterns and average temperatures
- stores and layers of the rainforest
- how the ecosystem works
- number of species and animals in an area
How is the structure of the rainforest affected by climate change?
- the change in condtitions means that there would be less nutrients available
- canopy might start to reduce in density
- layers of the rainforest would be affected negatively overall
How is the function of the rainforest affected by climate change?
- trees will drop their leaves if the temp drops/if there’s less rainfall
- this is to avoid water loss through transpiration
How is the biodiversity of the rainforest affected by climate change?
- as conditions get drier and warmer, other plant species suited to the new conditions will compete with the species in the TRF
- may include the spread of pests and diseases that the TRF is not immune to
Why does deforestation occur in the tropical rainforest due to agriculture?
- economic cause
- large areas are cleared to make space for farms
- this leads to loss of habitats and reduces biodiversity
- fertilisers may impact rainforest animals and plants
- this is caused by population growth consumers eating more
Why does deforestation occur in the rainforest due to mining?
- transporting of resources means roads are built and large areas are cleared which could kill animals
- reduces biodiversity
Why does deforestation occur in the tropical rainforest due to logging?
- construction goods, furniture are in high demand
- pays well
- lots of corruption so police will look the other way
Why does deforestation occur in the TRF due to population pressure?
- trees are cleared for more space and housing
- this is due to rural-urban migration and higher paying jobs
What is governance?
-policies put in place by the government
What is governance?
-policies put in place by the government
What has the government in Costa Rica done to protect the rainforest?
- $50 per hectre a year is given to landowners to protect the rainforest
- could encourage landowners to not cut down the trees protecting habitats
- however landowners would make more money cutting down trees and selling them
- cerificate for sustainable management
- allows consumers to to purchase sustainable products and could attract investment
- not well known
How have carbon credits protected the rainforest in Costa Rica?
- each country is given a certain number, 1 credit is 1 tonne of CO2
- Costa Rica has credits left over because of their rainforest so they are able to sell them
- this generates §20million for healthcare and education
- deforestation is also restricted because they would lose carbon credits
- however, countries are able to exceed their carbon limit, contributing to climate change
How has ecotourism protected the rainforest in Costa Rica?
- e.g. Lapa Rios Eco Lodge
- when tourist facilities are provided without damaging the rainforest
- solar panels are used to generate electricity
- builings are made from local materials
- targeted at young backpackers, reducing the amount made by tourism
- limited jobs, not everyone will benefit
Why does the ground layer of the deciduous woodland have fertile soil?
- due to trees losing their leaves each year which adds nutrients to the soil
- the trees have deep roots to absorb nutrients within soil and to provide stability
Herb layer of deciduous woodland?
- small plants such as ferns
- flowers early before there are leaves on the trees in the summer
- this allows the flowers to absirb maximum sunlight
decribe the sub canopy layer of the deciduous woodland
-small trees and large bushes
Describe the canopy layer of the deciduous woodland
-trees in the canopy lose their leaves in autumn to cope with reductions in sunlight and lower temperatures
describe the nutrient cycle in the temperate forest/deciduous woodland
- the biomass is small because the conditions are less favourable and sunlight reduces in the winter
- larger litter store because the trees lose their leaves in autumn and there is less surface run off
- larger soil store due to less leaching caused by less rain
how is a hedgehog adoated to the deciduous woodland
- hibernates from nov to apr
- their bodies need less energy when there is less food
How is the squirrel adapted to the deciduous woodland?
- the hide food in the ground and trees
- this means they have food for the winter months
How is the nightingale adapted to the deciduous woodland?
- they migrate to africa from sept to apr
- the avoid the cold months where there is no food
How is the oak tree adapted to the deciduous woodland?
- they’re strong and can stretch their branches horizontally
- this means the leaves can access more sunlight
- the leaves are broad and soft
- collect sunlight
- leaves die and fall off in the autumn
- this means that the tree can conserve water and energy during winter
- the leaves and acorns have lots of the acid tannin
- tannin has a bitter taste which stops some animals from eating the acorns
- oak trees have enormous root systems
- the roots absorb nutrients and stabilise the trees during storms
list three goods provided by the deciduous woodland
- timber for furniture making, construction, fuel
- biomass for domestic heating
- forest moss is used by florists
List three services provided by the deciduous woodland
- health benefits as most visitors take part in cycling, jogging, walking and horse riding
- venues for oragnised activities such as paint balling
- captures 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year from the atmosphere
how does climate change affect the structure of the deciduous woodland
-rising temperatures and drier conditions could increase the risk of forest fires harming plants and animals within each layer
how does climate change affect the function of the deciduous woodland
- rising temps mean the adaptations plants and animals have will be ineffective
- for example, seed germination is triggered by cold temperatures so seeds will not grow
How does climate change affect the biodiversity of the deciduous woodland?
- pests and diseases that do not survive in the cold winters can spread if winters become milder
- this would affect the number of plants and animals in an area
list three strategies used to prevent New Forest and state advantages and disadvanatges
replacing conifers with deciduous woodland
advantages- forest is prettier which attracts more tourists, herb layer will benefit and the biodiversity improves
disadvantages- more visitors means more litter, affect the profits of foresters
builing car parks
advantages-limits the number of poeple parking on grass verges, the car parks are hidden using trees so it looks more natural
disadvantages- more cars means more congestin so this means more injuries to horses, trees are removed for space
visitor leaflet
advantages- raises awareness, prevents visitors damaging the environment
disadvantages- cretaes a litter issue, visitors could ignore the advice
