Ecosystems Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem includes all the biotic (living) parts and the abiotic (non-living) parts of an area.
What are the three types of organisms in an ecosystem?
Producers, consumers, and decomposers.
What is a producer?
A producer uses sunlight energy to produce food.
Give an example of a producer.
Grass.
What is a consumer?
A consumer gets its energy by eating other organisms.
What do consumers eat?
Producers or other consumers.
What is a decomposer?
An organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead material.
Give two examples of decomposers.
Bacteria and fungi.
What happens when dead material decomposes?
Nutrients are released into the soil.
How do plants use nutrients?
Plants absorb nutrients from the soil and use them to grow.
What do animals do with the nutrients they get from plants?
Animals eat plants, taking in the nutrients they contain.
What is nutrient cycling?
The transfer of nutrients through the ecosystem.
What is a food chain?
A food chain shows what eats what.
What does a food web illustrate?
A food web shows lots of food chains and how they overlap.
How do changes in one part of an ecosystem affect other parts?
If one part changes, it affects all the other parts that depend on it.
What happens if blackberry bushes are cut back?
There is less food for greenfly, leading to a possible decline in their population.
What effect does a decline in greenfly population have on ladybirds?
Ladybirds have less to eat, so their populations may decline too.
Fill in the blank: The _______ cycle shows how nutrients move through an ecosystem.
nutrient
What determines the type of ecosystem that forms in an area?
The climate in an area determines what type of ecosystem forms.
How many major types of ecosystems are mapped globally?
Seven major types of ecosystems.
Where are tundras typically found?
At high latitudes (above 60° N) in Northern Europe, Canada, and Alaska.
What are the characteristics of tundra winters and summers?
Winters are very cold, summers are brief, and there is little rainfall.
What type of vegetation is found in tundras?
Mosses, grasses, and low shrubs.
What is permafrost?
A layer of permanently frozen ground.
What are the two types of grassland?
- Savannah grasslands
- Temperate grasslands
Where are savannah grasslands typically located?
Between the tropics.
What are the seasonal characteristics of savannah grasslands?
Distinct dry and wet seasons with relatively low rainfall.
What type of vegetation is common in savannah grasslands?
Most of the vegetation is grasses with a few scattered trees.
Where are temperate grasslands found?
At higher latitudes with more variation in temperature and less rainfall.
What type of trees are found in boreal forests?
Coniferous trees that are evergreen and have needles.
What is another name for boreal forests?
Taiga.
What are the seasonal characteristics of temperate deciduous forests?
Four distinct seasons with warm summers and relatively mild winters.
What happens to deciduous trees in winter?
They lose their leaves to cope with colder weather.
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Around the equator, between the tropics.
What is the climate like in tropical rainforests?
Hot and wet all year round.
What is a characteristic feature of tropical rainforests?
Dense canopies of vegetation forming distinct layers.
Where are polar ecosystems found?
Around the north and south poles.
What are the characteristics of polar ecosystems?
Very cold, icy, and dry with a short growing season of about two months.
Where are hot deserts typically located?
Between 15° and 35° north and south of the equator.
What is the climate like in hot deserts?
Very hot during the day and very cold at night.
What type of vegetation is found in hot deserts?
Shrubs and cacti sparsely distributed in sandy soil.
