ecosystems

Question 1

list the ecosystems

Answer 1

tundra
boreal forest
temperate forest
temperate grassland
desert
tropical grassland 
tropical forest

Question 2

tropical forests

Answer 2

consistently hot and rainy
day length is also consistent - 12 hour ish
mostly evergreen
dense vegetation provides food and habitats so there are many species
constant supply of nutrients in soil bc plants drop leaves year round

Question 3

temperate forests

Answer 3

four distinct seasons, warm summers + cool winters
high rainfall, year round
shorter days in winter and longer days in summer
fewer species than tropical forests but more than boreal
broad leaved trees - drop leaves in autumn
soils are relatively nutrient rich and thick

Question 4

boreal forests

Answer 4

cold and dry
long winters (-20˚C) and short summers (10˚C)
low precipitation - mainly as snow
lots of daylight in summer but little to none in winter
mainly evergreen, so they can grow when there’s enough light
less food available, so relatively few animal species
cold so decomposition is slow - soil is thin, acidic and nutrient poor

Question 5

deserts

Answer 5

low rainfall - plants are sparse
very hot in day to very cold at night
more daylight in summer than winter and minimal cloud cover
relatively few animals in hot deserts
thin and nutrient-poor soils bc it’s dry and little leaf litter

Question 6

tropical grasslands

Answer 6

quite low rainfall, distinct wet and dry seasons - fires common in dry season
temp is highest just before wet season and lowest just after
mostly grasses, scrub and small plants that have adapted to quickly recover post fire
lots of insects and larger animals like lions, elephants, zebras etc.
thin nutrient rich soil when grass is burned but nutrients are washed out during wet season

Question 7

temperate grassland

Answer 7

hot summers (40˚C) and cold winters (-40˚C)
low rainfall, rains mainly between spring and summer - Grasses and small plants
light received varies through the year
home to fewer species than tropical grasslands - bison, wild horses, mole rats
high summer temp - relatively thick and nutrient rich soil

Question 8

tundra

Answer 8

low temps in summer (5-10˚C) and winter (-30˚C)
very low precipitation - mainly as snow
high lat so almost continuous light in summer and little to none in winter
cold + lack of light in winter - hard for plant growth but there are mosses, grasses and low shrubs
relatively few animal species - the ones that do abode there may migrate south for winter
thin and nutrient poor soil, layer of permafrost stops water drainage

Question 9

uk ecosystems

Answer 9

heathlands
moorland
wetlands
woodlands

Question 10

heathlands and moorlands

Answer 10

open landscapes, poor soil, few trees
acidic soils + high rainfall
ground can become waterlogged on flatter land and cause a bog to form
moorlands - upland 
heathlands - lowland

Question 11

heathlands

Answer 11

dry and Sandy soils in South and east
Wet and peaty soils in north and West
habitats for lots of insects, providing food for birds

Question 12

moorlands

Answer 12

habitats for important animals and birds

many are used for grazing animals and raising grouse

Question 13

climate of tropical rainforest

Answer 13

no definite seasons
hot - 20-28˚C, because it’s near the equator
very high rainfall - around 200mm yearly and it rains daily, usually in the afternoon

Question 14

soil in the TRF

Answer 14

heavy rain washes away nutrients so it isn’t very fertile
decaying fallen leaves provide a nutrient layer on the soil surface
but the layer is thin, decay is fast in warm and moist conditions

Question 15

water in the TRF

Answer 15

a lot of rain is intercepted by the canopy
some water is absorbed by plants and stored in them
it also runs off of soil and into streams

Question 16

plants in the TRF

Answer 16

they are mostly evergreen bc of the continual growing season
lots of tall trees and dense vegetation cover, little light reaches the forest floor
many epiphytes - plants that grown on other living plants and take moisture and nutrients from the air

Question 17

layers of the TRF

Answer 17

emergents - only have leaves and branches at the top where there’s light
main canopy - like emergents and dense layer of leaves shades rest of forest
under canopy - younger trees that haven’t fully grown
shrubs - large, broad leaves to absorb max light

Question 18

largest to smallest stores in TRF

Answer 18

biomass
soil
litter

Question 19

why do rainforests have high biodiversity

Answer 19

layered structure - lots of different habitats
stable environment - it’s always hot and wet
they’ve been around fro ages so things have evolved

Question 20

sustainable management of the amazon

Answer 20

Central Amazon Conservation Complex (CACC) - it’s protected by international treaties
selective logging
Forest Stewardship Council marks sustainably sources timber products with its logo
ecotourism - Yachana Lodge - entrance fees, small groups, employs locals

Question 21

deciduous woodlands climate

Answer 21

temperate, four seasons
average temp 15-17˚C in summer, temp stays above freezing in winter
quite high rainfall, year-round, 1000mm annually

Question 22

how can seeds be dispersed in the deciduous woodland

Answer 22

animals eat fruit and excrete the seeds, which grown into new plants

Question 23

order of layers in deciduous woodland

Answer 23

canopy layer
shrub layer - some plants climb trees to get sunlight (eg. ivy), it’s dominated by plants adapted to maximise sunlight
herb layer - shade tolerant plants

Question 24

how and why do trees drop their leaves

Answer 24

in autumn they conserve resources by drawing food and water back up stems
the leaves stop capturing sunlight and die, falling off the tree
the tree can now conserve water which is usually lost through leaves and energy doesn’t have to be used to protect leaves from freezing
when it gets warmer the tree produces new leaves
the cycle continues

Question 25

nutrient stores in deciduous woodland

Answer 25

fairly evenly spread, but biomass is largest and litter is slightly larger than soil
biomass (only grow for part of the year so nutrient uptake is slow)
litter
soil
some nutrients are washed out of the soil by leaching

Question 26

climate change and deciduous woodlands

Answer 26

trees - not enough water could cause slowed growth or death, strong winds can knock down more mature trees
animals might come out of hibernation too early before there is enough food
higher rainfall - more leaching
pests don’t die

Question 27

deforestation for timber in deciduous woodlands

Answer 27

replacing with conifers, faster growing, quicker return, easier management
but, dense canopy blocks light, monoculture, non-native species

Question 28

Sustainable management of the New Forest

Answer 28

bike and electric vehicle hire
walking and cycling routes
The Green Leaf Tourism Scheme - promotes use of local products
limited pesticide use
trees planted to replace those chopped away