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Geography > Ecosystems and Rainforests (paper 1) > Flashcards

Ecosystems and Rainforests (paper 1) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

A community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment

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2
Q

What is a Biotic Factor

A

A living feature of an ecosystem

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3
Q

What is an Abiotic Factor

A

A non-living feature of an ecosystem

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4
Q

What is a Producer

A

A species that converts sunlight into energy through photosynthesis

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5
Q

What is a consumer

A

Animals or plants that get energy from the producers by consuming them

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6
Q

What is a Decomposer

A

A speices that breaks down plant and animal matter, returning nutrients back through the soil

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7
Q

What is Nutrient Cycling

A

When nutrients pass among different components of an ecosystem

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8
Q

What is a predator

A

The species that are at the top of the food chain

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9
Q

What is a food chain

A

A diagram that shows direct links between producers and consumers in a simple chain

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10
Q

What is a food web

A

A diagram that shows all the connections between species in an ecosystem in a more complex way

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11
Q

Define biodiversity

A

The variety of species within an ecosystem

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12
Q

What is interdependance

A

When two or more elements of an ecosystem rely on each other to complete their role successfully

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13
Q

What is the producer in this diagram

A

Corn
Mango
Lavenders
Flowering plant

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14
Q

What is the first consumers in the diagram

A

Grasshopper
butterfly
fruit fly

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15
Q

What would happen if pond ecosystems margin reeds were trimmed

A

The animals living in the reeds would lose their habitat and they would struggle to hide from their predators

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16
Q

What would happen if a pond was used for trout fishing

A

Predators of the Trout would struggle to feed themselves and their young and would therefore decrease in population.
Prey of the Trout would thrive and increase in population.

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17
Q

What natural causes can change an ecosystem

A

Different seasons
New predator
Natural disaster

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18
Q

What human causes can change an ecosystem

A

Hunting (Fishing)
Taking animals out of the ecosystem
Cutting down trees

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19
Q

Where would you find a Tropical Rainforest

A

Close to the equator, in a belt

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20
Q

What characteristics do tropical rainforests have

A
  • High temperatures
  • Heavy rainfall
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21
Q

Why is there heavy rainfall in tropical rainforests and lots of plants

A

Because low pressure from the equatorial belt creates ideal conditions for plants to grow

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22
Q

Where would you find a Desert

A

Roughly 30 degrees north and south of the equator

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23
Q

What characteristics do deserts have

A
  • Hot
  • No clouds
  • Low night-time temperatures
  • High day-time temperatures
  • Little rainfall
  • Well adapted plants and animals
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24
Q

Where would you find a polar ecosystem

A

Artic / Antartica

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25
Q

What characteristics do Polar ecosystems have

A
  • Cold air sinks
  • Very low temperatures (below -50 degrees)
  • Dry conditions
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26
Q

What is the difference between Deciduous trees and Coniferous trees

A

Deciduous trees drop their leaves in the winter coniferous trees keep their leaves all year round

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27
Q

Where would you find Deciduous and Coniferous forests

A

roughly 50 degrees - 60 degrees north and south of the equator

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28
Q

Why do deciduous trees shed their leaves

A

To retain moisture

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29
Q

Why do coniferous trees keep their leaves

A

To maximize photosynthesis

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30
Q

Where do you mostly find coniferous forests

A

Further north because they are better suited to the cold temperatures

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31
Q

where would you find temperate grassland

A

roughly 30 degrees - 40 degrees north and south of the equator, inland away from the coast

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32
Q

What are some characteristics of temperate grasslands

A
  • warm and dry summers
  • cold winters
33
Q

why can temperate grasslands tolerate big weather change

A

Because the land is mostly used for grazing animals

34
Q

where would you find a Mediterranean ecosystem

A

Roughly 40 degrees - 45 degrees north of the equator or in isolated areas south of the equator like west austrailia

35
Q

What are some characteristics of a Mediterranean ecosystem

A
  • hot, sunny and dry summers
  • Mild winters
36
Q

What causes the climate in Mediterranean ecosystems

A

Pressure belts migrating slightly north and south

37
Q

where would you find a Tropical Grassland ecosystem

A

between 15 degrees and 30 degrees north and south of the equator

38
Q

What are some characteristics of a Tropical grassland ecosystem

A
  • Tropical climate in low latitudes
  • Distinct wet and dry seasons
  • Wild fire in the hot seasons
  • Violent thunderstorms in the wet seasons
  • Large herds of animals grazing
39
Q

Where would you find a Tundra ecosystem

A

From the Article circle to 60degrees or 70degrees north. There are very few areas of Tundra in the south

40
Q

Why is there so little Tundra in the south

A

Because there is lack of land

41
Q

What are some characteristics of a Tundra ecosystem

A
  • Low growing plants
  • easily damaged
  • Well adapted animals to survive the cold
42
Q

Why are the plants in Tundra low growing

A

So they can retain heat and moisture in the cold, windy, dry conditions

43
Q

Why do you find Tropical Rainforests where they are

A

because the hot air that condenses on the equator travels to the Rainforests and the hot air lowers and then it rains

44
Q

What is the climate like in Tropical Rainforests

A
  • humid
  • warm
  • sunny (on the emergent layer)
  • rainy
45
Q

What are the layers of a rainforest

A
  • Emergent
  • Canopy
  • Under canopy
  • ground layer
46
Q

name how plants have adapted in the rainforest

A
  • Trees have buttress roots
  • Leaves have a ‘drip tip’
  • Plants can grow high up on trees in the canopy
47
Q

explain buttress roots

A

They help support the base of the tall trees and help transport water

48
Q

explain the ‘drip tip’

A

it allows heavy rainfall to drip off the leaves

49
Q

Explain why plants grow high up

A

they can live on branches high up so that they can get sunlight

50
Q

name how animals have adapted in the rainforest

A
  • elephants have big ears
  • some animals have claws
  • monkeys have tails
  • toucans have sharp beaks
51
Q

explain why elephants have big ears

A

in order to create shade so that they do not over heat

52
Q

explain why some animals have claws

A

so they can climb trees easily

53
Q

explain why monkeys have tails

A

to keep them balanced and so they can hang from trees

54
Q

explain why toucans have sharp beaks

A

so that they can break shells

55
Q

where is the amazon rainforest located

A

in the north of South America, majority in Brazil

56
Q

what is deforestation

A

when large areas of trees are cut down

57
Q

what are the reasons for deforestation

A
  • logging
  • mineral extraction
  • energy development
  • illegal wildlife trade
  • commercial cattle farming
  • commercial crop farming
  • road building
  • settlement and population growth
58
Q

what is happening to the rate of deforestation

A

it is increasing

59
Q

What are the effects of logging

A
  • flooding
  • produces CO2
  • loss of habitat
60
Q

what are the effects of road building

A
  • noise disturbs animals
  • high risk for animals
  • tarmac is impermeable ~ flooding
  • loss of habitat
60
Q

what are the effects of energy development

A
  • loss of habitat
  • constructing dams and reservoirs = flooding
  • noise disturbs animals and tribes
61
Q

what are the effects of mineral extraction

A
  • loss of habitats
  • pollution form gold mining
  • ground is unstable ~ earthquakes, collasping
62
Q

what are the effects of settlement and population growth

A
  • loss of habitat
  • scare animals and tribes
  • flooding from no trees
63
Q

what are the effects of commercial farming

A
  • methane levels increase
  • food chain is impacted
  • loss of habitat
64
Q

what are the effects of subsistence farming

A
  • produces CO2
  • chemicals farmers use are harmful to the rainforest
  • loss of habitat
65
Q

what are the impacts of soil erosion in rainforests

A
  • destroying the fertility of the soil
  • uprooting some plants
66
Q

what are the impacts of loss of biodiversity in rainforests

A
  • plants and animals can go extinct before discovery
  • we will lose medicines we will need in the future
67
Q

what are the impacts of climate change in rainforests

A
  • droughts
  • bush fires
  • intense storms
68
Q

what are the impacts of economic gains from rainforests

A
  • more deforestation for more money
  • more companies wanting to use the rainforest for resources
  • acid rain from all of the harmful gasses in the atmosphere from constuction
69
Q

what are the impacts of economic losses from rainforests

A
  • people trying to find more ways to get what they want in the rainforest
70
Q

why should rainforests be protected

A

because they provide valuable resources and opportunities

71
Q

what is selective logging and replanting

A

it is the selective logging of only mature trees to ensure that the rainforests canopy is preserved. As well as more trees being able to grow in the logged trees place.

72
Q

what is the rainforest management technique, conservation and education

A

the promotion of the value, beauty and benefits of biodiversity within tropic rainforests so that future generations will enjoy the rainforests and not mistreat them

73
Q

what is the rainforest management technique, ecotourism

A

the encouragement of sustainable tourism that creates jobs for the local people whilst ensuring that the money generated goes towards protecting and conserving the tropical rainforests

74
Q

what is the rainforest management technique, international agreements

A

agreements between different countries through debt-for-nature swaps. To ensure conservation of the rainforests part of the debt a country owes is cancelled.

75
Q

what is the rainforest management technique, hardwood forestry

A

when, in areas that crop are grown, trees are also grown with them. ensuring farmers get their crops while the rainforest is being mended

76
Q

what is the rainforest management technique, debt reduction

A

when low-income countries are paid to conserve and protect the tropical rainforests in their country.

77
Q

what is litter

A

The litter store consists of dead leaves and twigs that have fallen to the floor.

Geography (8 decks)

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