Ecosystems, Biodiversity And Management (physical) Flashcards
What are abiotic components?
Non-living environmental factors that have influence over the ecosystem (e.g. climate, light exposure, soil type).
What is acid rain?
Rain with a pH of around 4, formed when chemicals from industrial processes react with water in clouds to form acids.
What is adaptation?
An evolved trait of an animal or plant that helps them to cope with environmental stresses.
What is biodiversity?
The variety of species of plants and animals within a region.
What are biofuels?
Fuels produced from organic material such as crops, vegetation and biomass.
What is biomass?
Total mass of organisms in a set area.
What is a biome?
Also known as a global-scale ecosystem; a large, distinct region of the Earth with similar climate, soil, plants and animals.
What are biotic components?
Living organisms that interact with the environment and other organisms within an ecosystem.
What are buttress roots?
Large, thick tree roots that grow above the ground in tropical rainforests.
What is camouflage?
An animal adaptation where animals purposefully look like their surroundings to hide from predators.
What is the canopy?
The layer of a tropical rainforest where the tops of trees touch, forming a dense area of vegetation.
What is cattle ranching?
The rearing of cows on large areas of land, usually to produce meat to sell for a profit.
What is CITES?
(The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora) an international agreement that works to protect threatened wildlife from exploitation.
What is clear felling?
A form of logging where all trees in an area are cut down.
What is climate change?
A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as changes in temperature or precipitation patterns.
What is commercial farming?
Agriculture that is intended to create surplus produce to sell for a profit.
What are Conifers?
Cone-bearing trees that are usually evergreen and have needle-shaped leaves, native to colder environments.
What is Conservation?
Taking action to ensure a resource or environment is not depleted and over-exploited.
What are Consumers?
Organisms that receive energy from consuming (eating) other living organisms.
What are Deciduous Woodlands?
Vegetation that loses its leaves every year, due to seasonal changes.
What are Decomposers?
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into the ecosystem.
What is Deforestation?
The permanent (and usually large-scale) removal of trees.
What is Drought?
A prolonged dry period in the natural climate cycle that can occur anywhere in the world.
What is an Ecosystem?
A natural system in which a community of plants and animals interact with each other and their physical environment.
What is Ecotourism?
Tourism that aims to have a reduced environmental impact while supporting conservation efforts and making it sustainable.
What are Epiphytes?
Plants that live on the surface of other plants, receiving nutrients from these plants.
What is a Food Web?
A representation of the interactions between multiple producers and consumers within a specific ecosystem.
What is a Forest Fire?
An uncontrolled fire that burns woodland and vegetation (also called a wildfire).
What are Fossil Fuels?
Fuels made up of the remains of organic material, such as oil, coal and gas.
What is Fuel Wood?
Wood that is burnt to provide energy.
What is the Gersmehl Model?
Shows the transfer of material between the vegetation & animals (biomass), soil and litter (dead vegetation).
What is the Growing Season?
The time of the year when temperatures and precipitation levels are high enough for plants to grow.
What is Heathland?
Low-lying land with small vegetation and acidic soil.
What is Leaching?
A process in soils where minerals are washed away by water (usually rainfall).
What is Litter?
Organic matter (e.g. leaves) that falls onto a forest floor.
What is Logging?
The process of cutting down trees for wood.
What is migration?
The seasonal movement of animals.
What are moorlands?
Found in upland areas, often have small vegetation in low-nutrient, acidic soils.
What is nutrient cycling?
The transfer of nutrients through an ecosystem, from the decay of organic material into the production and energy of living organisms.
What are nutrients?
Elements or compounds that support the growth of plants and animals, such as phosphates, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen.
What is open-cast mining?
A mining technique where an area is cleared and resources are mined close to the surface, rather than underground (also called strip mining).
What are plantations?
Farms where crops are grown in large amounts with the intention to sell for a profit.
Who are producers?
Organisms that convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars (glucose).
What is the savanna biome?
A biome located around 15-30° North and South of the Equator, characterised by high temperatures, very dry summers and very wet winters.
What is selective logging?
A form of logging where only certain trees are cut down to reduce the environmental effects of logging.
What is slash-and-burn?
A farming practice where plants and trees are cut down and then purposefully burnt to clear the area.
What is subsistence farming?
Agriculture that is intended to produce only enough food for the farmer and their family to eat.
What is sustainability?
Managing resources and activities in a way that meets the demands for the present, while considering the impacts this will have for future generations.
What is sustainable forestry?
Management strategies that work to reduce the environmental impacts of commercial forest use, allowing forestry to continue into the future at the same rate.
What is the temperate grassland biome?
A biome located in non-coastal areas around 30-40° North and South of the equator, characterised by low precipitation and grasses as the major vegetation.
What is the tropical rainforest biome?
A biome located near the equator, characterised by very high precipitation and sustained warm temperatures.
What is the tundra biome?
A biome located in the far Northern hemisphere, characterised by very cold conditions and permanently frozen soils.
What is urbanisation?
The increase in the proportion of the population living in urban areas.
What is the understory?
The layer of a tropical rainforest that lies beneath the canopy but above the forest floor.
Definition of wetlands
Land with high water content in the soil (saturated land)
What is the definition of a biome in geography?
A large global ecosystem defined by similar climate, vegetation, and soil characteristics.
How are biomes distributed globally?
In latitudinal belts due to atmospheric circulation, ocean currents, winds, and land-sea temperature differences.
Why do some biomes differ even at the same latitude?
Because of local factors like altitude, ocean currents, soil, and drainage.
What are the key environmental features of the tundra biome?
Cold temperatures, low precipitation, short summers, permafrost, low biodiversity, migratory animals.
What are the main features of the taiga (coniferous forest) biome?
Coniferous trees, cold winters, moderate rainfall, long growing season, wolves, bears, moose.
What defines the temperate deciduous forest biome?
Seasonal climate, broadleaf trees (e.g. oak), moderate rainfall, deer, bears, small animals.
What are the characteristics of temperate grasslands (prairies/steppes/pampas)?
Dominant grasses, low rainfall, hot summers, cold winters, bison, prairie dogs.
What makes the desert biome unique?
Extremely low rainfall, high temperature fluctuations, nutrient-poor soil, cacti, nocturnal animals.
What are the key features of tropical rainforests?
Hot and wet year-round, over 200cm of rain, poor soils, very high biodiversity.
What are the main characteristics of the savanna (tropical grassland) biome?
High temperatures, seasonal rainfall, wildfires, grasses, herds of hoofed animals.
What defines the Mediterranean biome?
Hot, dry summers, mild, wet winters, shrub vegetation, frequent wildfires, diverse wildlife.
How does climate influence the distribution of global biomes?
It determines temperature, precipitation, and sunlight, which control vegetation, soils, and animal survival.
What is the relationship between precipitation and forest biome location?
Forest biomes develop in areas with high precipitation, often in low-pressure zones.
Why are deserts and grasslands found in high-pressure zones?
Because there is less rainfall and dry conditions that prevent tree growth.
How does altitude influence biome type and vegetation?
Higher altitudes are colder and wetter, limiting plant growth and creating different vegetation zones.
How do rock and soil types affect ecosystem characteristics?
They influence drainage, fertility, and pH, which determine what plants and animals can survive.
How does drainage affect an ecosystem?
Poorly drained areas may become waterlogged and support wetland vegetation, while well-drained soils stay drier.
What are biotic and abiotic components in an ecosystem?
Biotic = living things (plants, animals); Abiotic = non-living factors (climate, soil, light).
How do biotic and abiotic components interact in ecosystems?
E.g., plants use sunlight and CO₂ to grow, which feeds animals, and decomposition recycles nutrients back into soil.
What is the biosphere and where is it located?
The zone of life on Earth between the atmosphere and lithosphere, containing all ecosystems.
What goods does the biosphere provide to humans?
Food, water, timber, energy, medicine, and raw materials.
What services does the biosphere provide?
Nutrient cycling, carbon storage, water purification, climate regulation.
How is the biosphere exploited for energy?
Fossil fuels are extracted unsustainably, damaging land and releasing greenhouse gases.
How is the biosphere exploited for water?
Overuse of groundwater stores leads to shortages and water insecurity.
How is the biosphere exploited for minerals?
Mining removes slow-forming resources needed for electronics, buildings, and fertilisers.
What are the four main terrestrial ecosystems in the UK?
Moorlands, heaths, woodlands, and wetlands.
What are two characteristics of UK moorlands?
Acidic, waterlogged soils and vegetation like heather and cowberry.
What defines heathlands in the UK?
Sandy, well-drained acidic soils, and wildlife like hares and stonechats.
What makes UK woodlands ecologically rich?
Moist, mineral-rich soils support diverse flora and more invertebrates than any other UK habitat.
Why are UK wetlands ecologically important?
Store carbon, filter water, support mixed vegetation, and absorb runoff.
What are the three main human uses of UK marine ecosystems?
Fishing, shipping/trade, and offshore energy production.
What are three threats to UK marine biodiversity?
Overfishing, pollution, and seabed damage from dredging and ships.
How is the UK reducing threats to marine ecosystems?
Through fishery laws, marine reserves, beach clean-ups, and community-led conservation.
What are the typical climate conditions in tropical rainforests?
High temperatures (26–27°C), constant rainfall (2000mm+), and high humidity.
Why are tropical rainforest soils nutrient-poor?
Heavy rain leaches nutrients, leaving behind infertile latosols.
Why is the nutrient cycle in rainforests very fast?
Heat and moisture speed up decomposition and nutrient absorption.
What are the four vertical layers of the rainforest?
Emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor.
What are three plant adaptations in tropical rainforests?
Buttress roots, drip-tip leaves, epiphytes/lianas.
What are three animal adaptations in tropical rainforests?
Camouflage, venom/poison, strong limbs for climbing.
What goods do tropical rainforests provide to humans?
Timber, palm oil, food, medicines.
What services do tropical rainforests provide globally?
Regulate climate, support water cycle, maintain soil health.
What are the main causes of deforestation in tropical rainforests?
Subsistence farming, commercial farming, logging, mining, fuelwood, biofuels, HEP dams.
What is slash-and-burn farming and why is it used?
Trees are cut and burned to clear land and enrich soil for short-term farming.
How does commercial farming contribute to rainforest loss?
Large-scale clearing for cattle or crops like palm oil and soy.
How is climate change affecting tropical rainforests?
Increased droughts, tree death, altered flowering/fruiting, more fires, disrupted nutrient cycles.
Where are deciduous woodlands typically located?
Temperate latitudes (40–60°), e.g. UK, NE USA, East Asia.
What is the climate like in deciduous woodlands?
Seasonal: cold winters, warm wet summers, consistent rainfall.
What are the main plant layers in deciduous woodlands?
Canopy (oak), shrub layer (holly, hazel), ground layer (grass, ferns, bluebells).
What soil type is found in deciduous woodlands?
Brown earth – fertile, well-mixed by worms, enriched by decomposing leaf litter.
How are plants in deciduous woodlands adapted to their environment?
Drop leaves in winter, grow in all directions, large leaf area, vines reach sunlight.
What are three animal survival strategies in deciduous woodlands?
Migration (e.g. nightingales), hibernation (e.g. dormice), food storage (e.g. squirrels).
What are three goods or services provided by deciduous woodlands?
Timber, recreation, conservation of endangered species.
What threats do deciduous woodlands face in the UK?
Urbanisation, timber extraction, agriculture, road building, pests from climate change.
What is Epping Forest and why is it important?
A managed UK deciduous forest, protected for wildlife and recreation.
Name three sustainable practices used in Epping Forest.
Pollarding, leaving deadwood, marked trails to protect vegetation.
