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AQA GCSE Geography (9-1) > Ecosystems > Flashcards

Ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

Location of Arctic Tundra?

A

20% of earths surface

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2
Q

Location of Coniferous Forest?

A

cooler parts of world e.g. north america, northern europe and asia, higher altitudes

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3
Q

Location of deciduous woodland

A
  • eastern half of north america
  • central europe
  • some places in eastern japan and china
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4
Q

Location of savannah grassland?

A
  • cover 20% of earths surface
  • tropical lattitudes
  • between deserts and forests eg s. america, india but most in africa
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5
Q

Location of tropical rainforests?

A
  • tropics
    1. africa - congo
    1. south east asia - malaysia
    1. amazon in brazil
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6
Q

Location of deserts?

A
  • sahara in n africa
  • arabian middle east
  • gobi n china
  • kalahari africa
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7
Q

Climate arctic tundra

A

cold treeless

10 degress in summer

dry same amount of rain as desert

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8
Q

climate in coniferous forest

A

low winter temp = -20 = low biodiversity

low rainfall in winter but more in summer when temps = 20

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9
Q

climate in deciduous woodland

A

mid latitudes

fairly constant rainfall

warmer and colder season

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10
Q

climate in savannah grassland

A

wet and dry season - warm all year

few degrees cooler in dry season

20-30 degrees

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11
Q

climate in tropical rainforest

A

1900mm rain

humid warm

max 34 min 20

77-88% humidity

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12
Q

climate in desert

A

lack of rain

dry soil

sometimes rain evaporates before hitting ground

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13
Q

plants and animals in arctic tundra

A

animals adapt

snow owl, arctic foxx

grasses, small shrubs, herbs , lichens - in groups close to ground

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14
Q

plants and animals in coniferous forest

A

trees grow needles - evergreen

mammals moose deer reindeer mice bears foxes

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15
Q

plants and animals in deciduous woodland

A

not evergreen trees - shed and regrow leaves

ash birch beech elm

bears racoons squirrels deer

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16
Q

plants and animals in savannah grassland

A

lemon and star grass

acacia and baobab trees

droguht resisting plants

elephants zebras rhinos cheetahs lions etc

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17
Q

plants and animals in rainforest

A

monkeys birds reptiles snakes

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18
Q

plants and animals in desert

A

cacti and shrubs - store water in fleshy leaves

nocturnal animals - camels scorpions adapted to needing little water

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19
Q

how is epping forest interdependant

A
  • lose leaves in winter so trees conserve energy
  • by spring all leaf litter disappeared due to decomposers and detrivores
  • nutrients stored in leaves → humus in soil, to support new plant growth
  • fruits and berries that will support primary consumers
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20
Q

how does epping forest lose lots of nutrients each year

A

leaching during episodes of heavy rainfall

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21
Q

soil in tropical rainforst

A

shallow and lack minerals

not fertile

nutrients leached away`

22
Q

water cycle in tropical rainforest

A
  1. sun heats ground
  2. warm air rises
  3. air cools and water vapour condenses
  4. clouds create precipitation
23
Q

nutrient cycle in tropical rainforest

A

most nutrients stored in biomass

soil poor store of nutrients

decomposition occurs quickly so few nutrients stored in leaf litter

24
Q

what is litter

A

dead organic material eg fallen leaves

25
what is soil
mixture of dead organic material and weathered bedorck
26
adaptations of biotic components in a rain forest
plants of forest floor - large leaves - lack of light - and drip tips to help shed rainwater easily buttress roots = stability for height and a nutrient store harpy eagle lives in canopy sloths live in canopy - camouflague and slowness, green algae grows in fur trees in canopy have small leaves - reduce water loss through transpiration hummingbird - strong flight muscles so can hover toucans - long bills to reach fruit
27
what happens if rain forest deforested
less interception and transpiration = more runoff less moisture caught by vegetation so less rainfall drought and desertification
28
why are rain forests important
produce oxygen half of worlds plants and animals modern food staples drugs remove carbon indigenous people fresh water source - 20% of worlds rainfall
29
impacts of deforestation in borneo
habitat loss carbon emissions fire water quality land degradation social issues
30
development opportunities in hot deserts
mineral extraction, energy, farming, tourism
31
challenges of development in hot deserts
extreme temperatures, water supply, inaccessibility.
32
causes of desertification?
climate change, population growth, | removal of fuel wood, overgrazing, over-cultivation and soil erosion
33
strategies to minimise risk of desertification
water and soil management, tree planting and use of appropriate technology.
34
why do deserts not appear as a uniform band
ocean currents - if cold can cool air near a continent = rain relief rain - only rains on side wind blows from = rain shadow eg arizona some areas a long way from ocean so no moisture - continentality
35
why is it cold at night in desert
no clouds so when heat rises it leaves atmosphere (outgoing long wave radiation) low temps could be prob for plants and animals adapting
36
characteristics of desert soils
sandy rocky 1m deep little organic material due to lack of vegetation white powder on surface (salts drawn to surface by evaporation) little rain and soil not fertile
37
what is the white powder on desert surface
calcium carbonate
38
energy in western desert
solar power hep - lake mead, hoover dam fossil fuels - arizona since 1905
39
tourism in western desert
entertainment - LA 37m visitors a year national parks - grand canyon - wilderness area colorado museum in arizona lake mead and powel - water transfer projects - attract 2m people/yr - boating fishing water skiing
40
two dams on colorado river
hoover dam 1935 - stores 2 yrs of water in lake mead glen canyon dam 1963 - bring water to western desert however silt get trapped, species lost
41
what areas are at risk of desertification
long dry season unreliable rainfall suffer drought
42
how does overcultivaton lead to desertification
population growth puts pressure on farmland farmers use land for crops that would be better for animals cash crop = fields dont lay fallow
43
link between climate change and desertification (possible)
higher temps = more transpiration, reduced condensation and rainfall
44
what is land degradation
loss of soil and progressive lowering of land surface by wind ( blows away soil) and water (washes away soil) - human mismanagement
45
soil erosion link to loss of vegetation
limited fertility - become exhausted if over grazed vegetation cant ground so soil not bound by roots rain - runoff because cant percolate through baked soil degradation of land - farmers cultivate marginal areas - livestock search larger areas for food water sources dry up - trees disappear famine - rural-urban migration
46
problems in sahel
droughts population pressure - better medical care so more livestock to feed people = overgrazing social - 300k people died in 1970s droughts, mainly farmers, cities grew due to migration = famine in ethiopia
47
solutions to overcultivation
fertilisers and manure improve fertility so yields however expensive drought resisting qualities
48
solutions to overcultivation in sahel
better farming methods - crop rotation, irrigation, contour ploughing, bunds to stop rain dripping down
49
solutions to overgrazing in sahel
↑ stock quality - vaccination better management - smaller herd size, graze land on rotational basis
50
tackling desertification sahel using afforestation
planting trees on communal basis crops amongst trees hold soil together biogas reduce need for firewood use solar power
51
probs with cash crops sahel
* governements dont have money for anti desetification * governments have encouraged cash crops to pay debts to HICs and export to richer countries * less food * subsistence farmers pushed to arid land as cash crops grown on good land
52
why are solutions in sahel not easy
cost money, involve training and education in land management * subsistence farmers need to be encouraged to put more back into land * good irrigation schemes required * animal numbers need to be correctly managed * trees need to be planted to replace those lost by deforestation

AQA GCSE Geography (9-1) (7 decks)

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