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Geography GCSE > Ecosystems & Cold Environments 🌿 > Flashcards

Ecosystems & Cold Environments 🌿 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem

A

And ecosystem is a community where rocks, soil, vegetation, animals, humans, water, the atmosphere and climate all interact
Ecosystems are made up of biotic and abiotic things

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2
Q

What are biotic things

A

Living things eg. Plants and bacteria

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3
Q

What are abiotic things

A

Non-living things eg. Climate and soil

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4
Q

What is a food chain

A

A simple diagram of the flow of energy between the producers and consumers

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5
Q

What is a food web

A

The interconnections of the food chain with many other species within the ecosystem

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6
Q

What is decomposition

A

The breaking down of dead organic material

This process is essential in order to release nutrients back into the soil

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7
Q

What are some of the causes of hedgerow loss in the UK

A

Larger agricultural machinery
Desire for larger profits
Move from low intensity to high intensity arable farming
Initially driven by need for more food

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8
Q

What are the 3 elements in the nutrient cycle

A

Litter, biomass, soil

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9
Q

Methods used to manage Epping Forest

A

Pollarding trees
cattle grazing re-introduced to a small area
volunteers to clean and maintain footpath
recreation is controlled

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10
Q

How many biomes can the earth be divided into

A

8

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11
Q

What are the physical characteristics of rainforests

A

Warm weather causes air to rise and evaporate causing large amounts of rainfall

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12
Q

What are the 2 ways in which the rainforest copes with heavy rain

A

Interception

Drip and flow

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13
Q

How high is the canopy off the floor

A

30m

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14
Q

How high is the emergent layer off the forest floor

A

50m

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15
Q

How high is the understory off the forest floor

A

10m

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16
Q

Name 3 plant adaptations in the rainforest

A

Buttress roots
Drip tips
Leaf angling

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17
Q

What is leaf angling

A

Leaves arranged at different angles so the plant avoids shadowing its own leaves - important because competition for light is intense

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18
Q

What are drip tips

A

Pointed tips and waxy surface enable water to run off easily

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19
Q

What are buttress roots

A

Rainforest soils are very thin and therefore shallow roots are needed to soak up nutrients in these thin soils
buttress roots also form to give tall trees extra stability in the shallow soils

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20
Q

What is interdependence

A

The idea that within an environment or ecosystem things become totally dependent on one another being there and working 

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21
Q

What are the 3 main causes of deforestation in the rainforest

A

Cattle ranching
Logging
Agriculture

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22
Q

What resources does the rainforest provide

A 
Sugar 
Rubber
Cocoa 
Oxygen production 
Medicines
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23
Q

What is sustainable management

A

Meeting the needs of the current population without compromising the needs of future generations

24
Q

What is conservation

A

Means that natural resources such as timber can still be used, but must be used sustainability

25
Q

What is protection

A

Means that the environment should be untouched and humans should not interfere so ecosystems can find their own balance

26
Q

What are the 2 strategies for rainforest sustainability

A

Conservation

Protection

27
Q

What methods can be used to sustain the rainforest

A 
Selective logging and replanting 
conservation and education 
eco-tourism 
international agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods 
debt reduction e.g. conservation swaps 
agroforestry
28
Q

What is permafrost

A

Permafrost are areas of ground which are permanently or semi permanently frozen for 2 or more years

29
Q

What are the benefits of Alaska’s onshore oil fields

A

They are safe from earthquakes
brings in money and employment
some of the pipeline passes underground in order to not disturb the Caribou

30
Q

What are the costs of Alaska’s onshore oil fields

A

Took 5 years to build and costed $US 8billion
debate over whether they should begin drilling foil in neighbouring areas
destroys habitats
any oil spilled can that kill wildlife
migrant workers take the majority of the jobs

31
Q

What is a wilderness area

A

Wilderness areas are unspoiled, remote and isolated regions which have limited human activity (currently)

32
Q

Why is the Tundra’s food web so basic

A

The soils are infertile, the climate is extreme and so not much can survive

33
Q

How have plants adapted to permafrost in the tundra

A

They have shallow root systems because otherwise permafrost would be a barrier to root growth 

34
Q

How have plants adapted to poor drainage in the tundra

A

Favours hardy organisms such as moss which can tolerate the melting of the active layer

35
Q

How have plants adapted to low insolation in the tundra

A

Most shrubs are perennials and flowers are cup shaped to catch weak sun rays and direct them to the centre

36
Q

How have plants adapted to strong winds in the tundra

A

Plants don’t grow higher than 40 cm and grow close together to avoid cold winds
They also grow hairs is to capture the heat

37
Q

How have snowshoe hares adapted to the tundra

A

Fur can change colour depending on the season to blend in

large back feet for larger surface area and support when walking on snow

38
Q

How have musk oxen adapted to life in the tundra

A

Fur is very long, thick and hollow to trap warm air

Huddle in numbers to keep warm and protected their young

39
Q

How have caribou adapted to the tundra

A

Double coat
adapted to consume all different things to survive when there is nothing to eat
split hooves allows a larger surface area so they don’t sink into the snow

40
Q

How has the Alaskan wolf adapted to life in the tundra

A

To fur coats creates a layer of of trapped warm air

large feet to allow them to walk on snow

41
Q

What are the benefits of Alaska is onshore oilfields

A

They are safe from earthquakes
brings in money and employment 
Rising oil prices in the Middle East left the US desperate to improve its energy security

42
Q

What are the costs of Alaska is onshore oilfields

A

Took 5 years to build and costed $US 8 billion
debate over whether they should begin drilling for oil in nearby areas
destroys habitats
any oil spilled can kill wildlife

43
Q

What are the three ways cold environments are conserved

A 
Conservation groups (NGO’s)
governments 
international agreements
44
Q

What percentage of indigenous tribes have died since the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century?

A

80%

45
Q

How many tribes are now left in the Amazon

A

240-330

46
Q

Why is oil and gas production important to the residents of Alaska?

A

Industry provided 100,000 jobs (1 in 7 Alaskans)
Oil and gas contribute 1/3 of the states annual earnings of around US$40 billion

47
Q

What are the pros of tourism in Antarctica

A

Many guidelines = environmental impact is minimised
No evidence that tourism has negatively impacted wildlife
Tour operators have codes of conduct eg. Not going within 5m of wildlife
Tourists can learn about the threats of climate change

48
Q

What are the cons of tourism in Antarctica ?

A

Ecosystem is fragile - tourism could disrupt the delicate balance
Tourists may unknowingly brings seeds of plants from other areas
Threat of pollution from oil spills eg. 2007

49
Q

Where is Luleå?

A

Sweden

50
Q

What is in Luleå

A

Facebook

51
Q

What solution does Luleå have to the lack of renewable energy in the wilderness?

A

Lies near a hydroelectric power station - cheap power

52
Q

What solution does Luleå have to the temperature required for the machines in the wilderness?

A

Located on the edge of the Arctic circle - equipment will cool itself at no cost

53
Q

What solution does Luleå have to the cost of land and amount of space required in the wilderness?

A

Land is cheap and there is a lot of it available due to difficult access and remoteness

54
Q

What solution does Luleå have to the requirement of flat land in the wilderness?

A

Luleå is built on a flat, glacially eroded valley floor

55
Q

What solution does Luleå have to the requirement for employees for low skilled jobs in the wilderness?

A

Little job availability in the area so people will take the jobs immediately

56
Q

What treaty was signed in Antarctica

A

Antarctica Treaty of 1959

Geography GCSE (10 decks)

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