Ecosystems

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

A unit made up of living and non-living things

Question 2

How do ecosystems work?

Answer 2

Plants (producers) make their own food, animals (consumers) feed on plants or other animals, fungi and bacteria (decomposers) feed on dead animals and plants

Question 3

Define: 
Food Chain 
Food Web 
Recycling Nutrients
 Energy Flows

Answer 3

1. Transfer of energy through an ecosystem
2. Many food chains linked together
3. Nutrients continually cycling through ecosystems
4. Energy passing through a food chain

Question 4

What are the four spheres?

Answer 4

Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Geosphere

Question 5

What is the climate like in Temperate Forests?

Answer 5

Not extreme

Annual temp is low

Precipitation all year

Long growing season

Question 6

What is the Soil like in TDR?

Answer 6

brown earth is fertilised by the loss of deciduous trees

minerals are slowly washed through

Question 7

What is the Vegetation in TDR?

Answer 7

Trees loose leaves in winter as temp and light decrease

Vegetation grows in layers

Plants are adapted to climate and soil

Question 8

Background of Epping Forest

Answer 8

6000acres

Clay, gravel and loam

Forest, grasslands, wetland

Game, aquatic animals, nesting sites

Question 9

Recreation in Epping forest

Answer 9

Millions visit each year

over 60 football pitches

18 hold golf course

refreshments all over

Question 10

Conservation in Epping Forest

Answer 10

Pollarding; 50,000 trees

Grazing; cattle added

Protection; 2/3 SSSIs

1878; City of London owned

Question 11

Climate in Tropical Rainforests

Answer 11

28 degrees avg

2000mm rainfall annually

No real seasons

Question 12

Soils in Tropical Rainforests

Answer 12

Red in colour and rich in iron

thick litter layer, thin fertile layer

nutrients quickly washed out

Question 13

Vegetation in Tropical Rainforests

Answer 13

Emerging, Canopy, understory, forest floor

adapted to tough climate and soil

Question 14

The Atlantic Forest Background

Answer 14

Has a lot of endemic species

South America; mainly Brazil

134000 Ameridians

Question 15

What are the causes and effects of deforestation in the Atlantic Forest?

Answer 15

Causes: logging for pulp and wood, cattle a ranches, sugar plants
70% Brazil’s pop live in south east

Impacts: land and way of life destroyed
loss of land fertility, global warming and flood risks

Question 16

Management of the Atlantic Forest

Answer 16

Conservation: 1/4 under protective laws, conservation corridors, grants

Restoration: By 2008 38000 trees
environmental program at school
research and education centre

Ecotourism: Una Ecopark provides economic opportunities, research centre, visitor centres and guides

Sustainable Farming: locals introduced to new methods

Question 17

Hot deserts Climate

Answer 17

40 degree day, freezing nights

250mm rainfall

2 seasons

Question 18

Hot Desert Soils

Answer 18

Rocky, sandy and grey

Thin crust from heavy but infrequent rainfall

Salt deposits

Dry but soaks water quickly

Question 19

Hot Desert Vegetation

Answer 19

Few and far between

Long wide roots

Few small leaves

Question 20

The Australian Outback Uses/ Benefits

Answer 20

Tourism: most visited place in Australia, 400000 in 2005, brings economic benefits

Farming: Soil is poor so difficult to earn

Hunting&Gathering: Aborginal tradition
Growing industry

Mining: 70% worlds opal
250000 tonnes of iron a day
Worlds largest ore reserves

Question 21

Management in The Australian Outback

Answer 21

Farming: dams, boreholes and reservoirs built to store water

Tourism: new education centre
guides
employs aborigines
economic and cultural pros

Question 22

Sahara Desert Uses and Pros

Answer 22

Energy: large oil and gas
50% income

Farming: Population growth 79mill/25
provides eat and export
13% GDP

Desertrification: intense pressure turns land into desert land

Question 23

Sahara Desert Management

Answer 23

Energy: prepare for oil less future
solar power plant

Farming: Irrigate further from Nile($70)
high value crops
improve roads, electricity
promote tourism

Desertification: Reduce farm animals
grow crops for fertilisation
plant more trees for shelter