Ecosystems Flashcards
What are living and non-living components called
- Living= biotic
- Non-living = abiotic
What’s the climate like in tropical rainforests
- Same all year round (no definite seasons)
- Hot (between 20-28 Degrees Celsius)
- Rainfall is very high ( around 2000 mm per year) rains every day
Characteristics of soil in a rainforest
- Incredibly infertile- leached by heavy rainfall
- There are surface nutrients due to decayed leaf but this layer is very thin due to nutrient cycling
- Iron-rich makes it orange coloured
- Roots don’t go deep into soil as it gets less fertile
- Very deep soil - up to 30-40 meters
Characteristics of rainforests
- hot and humid all year with high rainfall
- High biodiversity
perfectly adapted to environment
What are the layers of the rainforest?(bottom to top) and percentage of light they receive
- Shrub and forest floor (2% of sunlight);
- Under canopy (5 % of sunlight)
- Canopy (75% of sunlight )
- Emergent layer (100% of sunlight)
What are the layers of soil?
- Litter (contains most of the nutrients)
- Humus (contains most of the nutrients)
- Main soil (poor nutrients due to rainwater leaching)
- Subsoil (poor in nutrients)
- Bedrock (temperature weathers the bedrock and cracks it)
What conditions do plants have to adapt to in a rainforest?
- Amount of sunlight
- Humidity
- Strong winds in emergent layer
- High intense rain fall
- Poor soil fertility
- Dense vegetation
What is the case study for tropical rainforests?
Deforestation in Malaysia
What is ecotourism
Sustainable tourism that benefits, the environment, local community and local economy by conserving and protecting natural areas, respecting culture and educating people providing jobs and investment.
Example of ecotourism in Malaysia
Mulu National Park- area of rainforest located in North Borneo, Malaysia.
What is the case study for cold environments?
Svalbard- economic opportunities and challenges
Svalbard case study facts
Where? Island Archipelago, Arctic Ocean, North of Norway
What? Opportunities + challenges in cold environments
When? Discovered in 1596
Who? Norwegian, multinational population of 2,600 people
Why? knowing that whilst there are economic opportunities in cold environments there are also challenges
What are the economic opportunities of Svalbard?
- Fishing
- Mineral Extraction
- Energy developments
- Tourism
Talk about fishing as an economic opportunity in Svalbard?
- 150 species of fish in the Barents Sea, South if Svalbard
- Fishing here is joint controlled by Norway and Russia
- Exports to EU
Talk about mineral extraction as an economic opportunity for Svalbard
- Around 300 people employed in the industry
- In 2014 a new mine opened, to access this a road was built over a glacier
- Environmentalists are against mineral extraction as the coal mined is burned for energy- creating fossil fuels which enhance the greenhouse effect
Talk about energy developments as an economic opportunity for Svalbard
- There is a potential for geothermal energy use because Svalbard lies along the mid Atlantic ridge, a constructive plate margin. Here the Earth’s crust is thin and hot rocks are close to the surface.
- Currently Svalbard mainly generates electricity in the Longyearbyen power station by burning coal.
- Solar, wind and geothermal are all potential renewable energy sources for the future.
Talk about how tourism is an economic opportunity for Svalbard
- 150,000 tourists visited in 2019 this is move than double the bunker we in 2011.
- In 2018 45,000 cruise ship passengers arrive, compared with 30,000 in 2018
- The harbour in Longyearbyen has been enlarged to cope with the increase in cruise tourists
- Tourism employed 400 people in 2019 in accommodation and food services
- Tourists come to experience the Northern lights
What are the economic challenges of Svalbard?
- Extreme temperatures
- Construction
- Infrastructure/services
- Inaccessibility
How are extreme temperatures an economic challenge for Svalbard?
- In the winter temperatures can fall below -30°C
- This makes it a dangerous place to work in, with a serious risk of frostbite
- This means that people have to dress accordingly- in warm clothes- which makes working outdoors very slow and hard
How is construction an economic challenge for Svalbard?
- Most building construction and maintenance happens during the brief summer
- The frozen ground surface (permafrost) has to be protected from melting or buildings would collapse
- Most dirt and gravel roads are raised above the ground surface
How is infrastructure/ services an economic challenge for Svalbard?
- Most power, water and sanitation pipes have to be heated, insulated and raised above the ground
- This allows easy maintenance and prevents thawing of the permafrost
How is accessibility an economic challenge for Svalbard?
- Svalbard can only be reached by sea or air
- There are no roads outside Longyearbyen
- International flights link to mainland Norway and Russia, with small aircraft connecting to other islands
- Most people use snowmobiles, particularly in winter
What are the strategies to reduce the risk to cold environments
- Using technology- the trans-Alaskan pipeline
- Action by governments
- Conservation groups (WWF)
What does a nutrient cycle show?
- How nutrients move through an ecosystem
