Ecosystems Flashcards
Name the layers of the rainforest
Describe the features of the rainforest nutrient cycle
What are the four categories of ecosystems goods and services?
Explain what happens when an area is deforested.
Name the example of ecotourism in the Amazon rainforest and give 4 facts about it
- It is Brazil’s first REDD (UN) project
- Paid for by Marriott Hotels
- Families given $28 per month not to cut down the forest this gives them an alternative income
What does REDD stand for?
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is an unit that includes all the biotic (living) parts (e.g: plants and animals) and the abiotic (non-living) parts in an area.
What can organisms in ecosystems be classed as?
Producers, consumers or decomposers
What is a producer?
A producer is an organism that uses sunlight energy to produce food.
What is a consumer?
A consumer is an organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms - it eats producers or other consumers.
What does a food chain show?
What eats what.
What does a food web show?
It shows lots of food chains and how they overlap.
What is a decomposer?
A decomposer is an organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead material, e.g) dead producers, dead consumers or fallen leaves. Bacteria and fungi are decomposers. This returns nutrients to the soil, where they can be used by plants.
Give an example of a small scale ecosystem:
- A hedgerow ecosystem includes the plants that make up the hedgerow, the organisms that live in it and feed on it, the soil in the area and the rainfall and sunshine it receives.
- The producers include the hawthorn bushes and blackberry bushes.
- The consumers include thrushes, ladybirds, spiders, greenfly, sparrows and sparrowhawks.
How are different parts of ecosystems interdependent
Some parts of an ecosystem depends on the others, e.g: consumers depend on producers for a source of food and some depend on them for a habitat (a place to live). So, if one part changes it affects all the other parts that depend on it.
Example of ecosystems being interdependent
Hot, dry summer –> reduced plant growth –> Fewer berries for birds in the winter –> Number of sparrows and thrushes fall –> Fewer birds for sparrowhawks, so number of sparrowhawks fall
Remember this:
The climate in an area determines what type of ecosystem forms. So different parts of the world have different ecosystems because they have different climates.
Where are coral reefs found in the world?
Mostly found between 30° north and south of the equator, a few miles off the coast.
Where are grasslands found in the world?
There are two types of grassland. Tropical savannah grasslands are found between the tropics. Temperate grasslands are found at mid-latitudes.
Where are temperate forests found in the world?
Found mainly in the mid-latitudes, between the tropics and the polar regions.
Where are tropical rainforests found in the world?
Found around the equator, between the tropics.
Where are hot deserts found in the world?
Found between 15° and 35° north and south of the equator.
Where are polar areas found?
Found around the north and south poles.
What is the climate like of a polar area?
- Polar areas are very cold. Temperatures are usually less than 10°C. Winters are normally below -40°C and can reach almost -90°C.
- Precipitation is low - no more than 500mm a year (mainly in the summer).
- There are clearly defined seasons - cold summers and even colder winters.
Things about animals in the polar area:
- There are relatively few different species of animals compared with other ecosystems.
- Polar bears, penguins and marine mammals like whales, seals and walruses are examples of animals that are found in the polar regions.
Things about plants in the polar area:
- There are very few plants - some lichens and mosses are found on rocks and there are a few grasses and flowering plants on the coast where it’s warmer,
- Plants grow slowly and don’t grow very tall - grasses are the most common plants. Closer to the poles, only mosses and lichens can survive.
- Some small, short trees and shrubs grow in warmer, sheltered areas.
What is the climate like in hot deserts?
- Very little precipitation - less than 250 mm per year. When it rains can varie a lot - it might only rain once every two or three years.
- Temperatures are extreme - they range from very hot in the day (e.g: 45°C) to cold at night (below 0°C).
Things about plants in hot deserts:
- Plant growth is sparse due to the lack of rainfall. Plants that do grow include cacti and thornbushes.
- Plant roots are often very long to reach deep water supplies, or spread out wide near the surface to catch as much water as possible when it rains. Some plants (e.g: cacti) have fleshy stems and thick waxy skin to cope with the dry climate.
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Things about animals in hot deserts:
- Hot deserts are home to lizards, snakes, insects and scorpions. Mammals tend to be small, e.g: kangaroo rats. Many birds leave during the hottest weather.
- Animals are adapted to cope with the harsh climate. Many animals are nocturnal so they can stay in burrows or in the shade during the day. Some bigger animals have evolved to lose very little water and to tolerate dehydration, e.g: camels.
What is the climate like in grasslands?
- Savannah grasslands have quite low precipitation (800-900 mm per year) and distinct wet and dry seasons. Temperatures are highest (around 35°C) just before the wet season and lowest (around 15°C) just after it.
- Temperature grasslands have hot summers (up to 40°C) and cold winters (down to -40°C). They receive 250-500 mm precipitation each year, mostly in the late spring and early summer.
Things about plants in grassland:
Things about animals in grassland:
Things about animals in grasslands:
Things about plants in coral reefs
Algae have a symbiotic relationship where the algae lives within Coral and photosynthesis energy and sugar which coral uses, algae gets a home
Things about animals in coral reefs:
What is the climate like in coral reefs?
What is the climate ie in temperate forest?
What is the climate ie in temperate forest?
Things about animals in temperate forests:
Black bear: heavy coat, many layers of, cope freezing temperatures
Adaptation: long paws- climb and live in trees
Excellent hearing- vital as many prey camouflaged
Things about plants in temperate forests:
What is the climate like in tropical rainforests?
Things about plants in tropical rainforests:
Things about animals in tropical rainforests:
What conditions do coral need?
What conditions do coral need?
What type of forests are shown by this map?
What does this graph show?
Where are the location of coral reefs?
Where are the location of coral reefs?
How are beech trees in temperate forests adapted?
- Long lifespan. 400 years- so not naturally decline
- Thick canopy spring- compete successfully with other plants for sun light
- Lose leaves winter , protect from damage by strong winds and snowfall winter
Compare these climate graphs
Compare these climate graphs
How are penguins adapted?
How are Antarctic hair grass adapted?
How are plants adapted in rainforests?
Name some adaptations of animals in the rainforest?
Explain the interdependence of rainforest ecosystems?
Use these examples: high rainfall , macaques, high temperatures, rapid nutrient cycling, hardwood trees
