Ecosystems and Rainforests (paper 1) Flashcards
What is an ecosystem
A community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment
What is a Biotic Factor
A living feature of an ecosystem
What is an Abiotic Factor
A non-living feature of an ecosystem
What is a Producer
A species that converts sunlight into energy through photosynthesis
What is a consumer
Animals or plants that get energy from the producers by consuming them
What is a Decomposer
A speices that breaks down plant and animal matter, returning nutrients back through the soil
What is Nutrient Cycling
When nutrients pass among different components of an ecosystem
What is a predator
The species that are at the top of the food chain
What is a food chain
A diagram that shows direct links between producers and consumers in a simple chain
What is a food web
A diagram that shows all the connections between species in an ecosystem in a more complex way
Define biodiversity
The variety of species within an ecosystem
What is interdependance
When two or more elements of an ecosystem rely on each other to complete their role successfully
What is the producer in this diagram
Corn
Mango
Lavenders
Flowering plant
What is the first consumers in the diagram
Grasshopper
butterfly
fruit fly
What would happen if pond ecosystems margin reeds were trimmed
The animals living in the reeds would lose their habitat and they would struggle to hide from their predators
What would happen if a pond was used for trout fishing
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.
What natural causes can change an ecosystem
Different seasons
New predator
Natural disaster
What human causes can change an ecosystem
Hunting (Fishing)
Taking animals out of the ecosystem
Cutting down trees
Where would you find a Tropical Rainforest
Close to the equator, in a belt
What characteristics do tropical rainforests have
- High temperatures
- Heavy rainfall
Why is there heavy rainfall in tropical rainforests and lots of plants
Because low pressure from the equatorial belt creates ideal conditions for plants to grow
Where would you find a Desert
Roughly 30 degrees north and south of the equator
What characteristics do deserts have
- Hot
- No clouds
- Low night-time temperatures
- High day-time temperatures
- Little rainfall
- Well adapted plants and animals
Where would you find a polar ecosystem
Artic / Antartica
What characteristics do Polar ecosystems have
- Cold air sinks
- Very low temperatures (below -50 degrees)
- Dry conditions
What is the difference between Deciduous trees and Coniferous trees
Deciduous trees drop their leaves in the winter coniferous trees keep their leaves all year round
Where would you find Deciduous and Coniferous forests
roughly 50 degrees - 60 degrees north and south of the equator
Why do deciduous trees shed their leaves
To retain moisture
Why do coniferous trees keep their leaves
To maximize photosynthesis
Where do you mostly find coniferous forests
Further north because they are better suited to the cold temperatures
where would you find temperate grassland
roughly 30 degrees - 40 degrees north and south of the equator, inland away from the coast
What are some characteristics of temperate grasslands
- warm and dry summers
- cold winters
why can temperate grasslands tolerate big weather change
Because the land is mostly used for grazing animals
where would you find a Mediterranean ecosystem
Roughly 40 degrees - 45 degrees north of the equator or in isolated areas south of the equator like west austrailia
What are some characteristics of a Mediterranean ecosystem
- hot, sunny and dry summers
- Mild winters
What causes the climate in Mediterranean ecosystems
Pressure belts migrating slightly north and south
where would you find a Tropical Grassland ecosystem
between 15 degrees and 30 degrees north and south of the equator
What are some characteristics of a Tropical grassland ecosystem
- 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
Where would you find a Tundra ecosystem
From the Article circle to 60degrees or 70degrees north. There are very few areas of Tundra in the south
Why is there so little Tundra in the south
Because there is lack of land
What are some characteristics of a Tundra ecosystem
- Low growing plants
- easily damaged
- Well adapted animals to survive the cold
Why are the plants in Tundra low growing
So they can retain heat and moisture in the cold, windy, dry conditions
Why do you find Tropical Rainforests where they are
because the hot air that condenses on the equator travels to the Rainforests and the hot air lowers and then it rains
What is the climate like in Tropical Rainforests
- humid
- warm
- sunny (on the emergent layer)
- rainy
What are the layers of a rainforest
- Emergent
- Canopy
- Under canopy
- ground layer
name how plants have adapted in the rainforest
- Trees have buttress roots
- Leaves have a ‘drip tip’
- Plants can grow high up on trees in the canopy
explain buttress roots
They help support the base of the tall trees and help transport water
explain the ‘drip tip’
it allows heavy rainfall to drip off the leaves
Explain why plants grow high up
they can live on branches high up so that they can get sunlight
name how animals have adapted in the rainforest
- elephants have big ears
- some animals have claws
- monkeys have tails
- toucans have sharp beaks
explain why elephants have big ears
in order to create shade so that they do not over heat
explain why some animals have claws
so they can climb trees easily
explain why monkeys have tails
to keep them balanced and so they can hang from trees
explain why toucans have sharp beaks
so that they can break shells
where is the amazon rainforest located
in the north of South America, majority in Brazil
what is deforestation
when large areas of trees are cut down
what are the reasons for deforestation
- logging
- mineral extraction
- energy development
- illegal wildlife trade
- commercial cattle farming
- commercial crop farming
- road building
- settlement and population growth
what is happening to the rate of deforestation
it is increasing
What are the effects of logging
- flooding
- produces CO2
- loss of habitat
what are the effects of road building
- noise disturbs animals
- high risk for animals
- tarmac is impermeable ~ flooding
- loss of habitat
what are the effects of energy development
- loss of habitat
- constructing dams and reservoirs = flooding
- noise disturbs animals and tribes
what are the effects of mineral extraction
- loss of habitats
- pollution form gold mining
- ground is unstable ~ earthquakes, collasping
what are the effects of settlement and population growth
- loss of habitat
- scare animals and tribes
- flooding from no trees
what are the effects of commercial farming
- methane levels increase
- food chain is impacted
- loss of habitat
what are the effects of subsistence farming
- produces CO2
- chemicals farmers use are harmful to the rainforest
- loss of habitat
what are the impacts of soil erosion in rainforests
- destroying the fertility of the soil
- uprooting some plants
what are the impacts of loss of biodiversity in rainforests
- plants and animals can go extinct before discovery
- we will lose medicines we will need in the future
what are the impacts of climate change in rainforests
- droughts
- bush fires
- intense storms
what are the impacts of economic gains from rainforests
- 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
what are the impacts of economic losses from rainforests
- people trying to find more ways to get what they want in the rainforest
why should rainforests be protected
because they provide valuable resources and opportunities
what is selective logging and replanting
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.
what is the rainforest management technique, conservation and education
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
what is the rainforest management technique, ecotourism
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
what is the rainforest management technique, international agreements
agreements between different countries through debt-for-nature swaps. To ensure conservation of the rainforests part of the debt a country owes is cancelled.
what is the rainforest management technique, hardwood forestry
when, in areas that crop are grown, trees are also grown with them. ensuring farmers get their crops while the rainforest is being mended
what is the rainforest management technique, debt reduction
when low-income countries are paid to conserve and protect the tropical rainforests in their country.
what is litter
The litter store consists of dead leaves and twigs that have fallen to the floor.
