Ecosystems Flashcards

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1
Q

what is an ecosystem

A

an ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms an their environment

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2
Q

define and name a producer

A

plants which use photosynthesis fo energy e.g. grass

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3
Q

define and name a consumer

A

consumers get there energy from the sugars produced by the producers. a pons snail is a good example of a consumer because it eats plants

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4
Q

define and name a decomposer

A

Decomposers break down plant and animal material and return the nutrients to the soil. Bacteria and fungi are good examples of decomposers

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5
Q

define food chain

A

a food chain shows the direct links (hence the term ‘chain’) between producers and consumers in the form of a simple line

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6
Q

define food web

A

a food web shows the interelationships between producers and consumers in a rather more complex way hence the term web rather than chain

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7
Q

define biotic and give an example

A

living e.g. plants

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8
Q

define abiotic and give an example

A

non living e.g. rocks

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9
Q

what is the small scale ecosystem called that we studied

A

epping forest

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10
Q

what are secondary consumers

A

secondary consumers eat the primary consumers and are non as carnivores

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11
Q

what causes change in an ecosystem

A
  • humans
  • illness/disease
  • change in weather
  • deforestation
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12
Q

where are tropical rainforests located

A

located between the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn

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13
Q

true or false?
in a rainforest there is a dry season

A

false there is no dry season

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14
Q

true or false?
there is a distinct wet season

A

true
although it does rain all throughout the year there is a distinct wet season which lasts about 6 months

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15
Q

what is the climate like throughout the year

A

hot and wet all throughout the year

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16
Q

why is rainfall so high in the rainforest

A

because of the global atmospheric circulation which causes an area of low pressure to form at the equator. the rising air creates clouds and triggers heavy rain

17
Q

why do plants have shallow roots

A

because the nutrients are found at the surface of the soil

18
Q

what is leaching

A

when heavy rainfall dissolves the nutrients. It leaves behind an infertile re, iron-rich soil called latosol

19
Q

what is the simple rainforest nutrients cycle

A

~ litter ~ biomass ~ soil ~

20
Q

what are the main components of a tropical rainforest

A

climate, soil, vegetation, animals

21
Q

what does being interconnected mean

A

a change in one component can disrupt the balance in the whole system of components

22
Q

what are the importance of drip tips

A

so that when there are very heavy rain patches, the water can slide of the leaf meaning it won’t snap in half

23
Q

how are epithets adapted

A

instead of getting there nutrients from soil they have adapted to get from water and air. This is because they live high in the canopy in attempt to reach max sunlight

24
Q

what are the significance of buttress roots

A

they are massive ridges which help support the base of the tall trees and help transport water. The nutrients aren’t deep into the soil and so the buttress root can suck up the nutrients

25
Q
A