Ecosystmes and Tropical Rainforests Flashcards
3 stores of nutrient cycle
Biomass (organic matter, living organisms, plants and animals)
Soil (rock particles + organic matter in form of humus)
Litter (waste and dead organic matter)
How can nutrient be lost from litter
Surface run off
How can nutrients be lost from soil
Leaching
How are nutrients added to soil
Weathering of bedrock
How are nutrients added to biomass
Rainfall
Describe climate of tropical rainforest
High and constant temperature
High rainfall
Rainfall varies across the year
What 4 layers of the rainforest are there
Emergents (top)
Canopy
Under canopy
Shrubs/ forest floor
How is a sloth adapted to the rainforest
Hair on belly curves towards their back so excess rainwater can run off when they’re upside down to deal with high levels of precipitation
Low metabolism- need to eat very little
Go to toilet at foot of tree to minimise chance of getting caught by predator (jaguars) whilst also providing the tree with fertiliser
What is a decomposer
Organism that breaks down plant and animal material and returns the basic nutrients to the soil
What is a food web
Complex way of showing connections between producers and consumers
What changes can affect ecosystems
Pollution
Settlement development (destroys habitats)
Natural disasters
Weather
Climate change
New diseases/ species/ invasive species
Explain links between components of small scale ecosystem in the UK
Biotic components include algae and pond snails
Algae is producer and makes its food through photosynthesis
Pond snails are consumers as they eat the algae as a source of food
Pond snails also rely on water (abiotic feature) for their habitat
Pond snails are consumed by birds e.g magpies
Food chain in Freshwater pond
Algae- pond snail- magpy
Biotic features in freshwater pond ecosystem
Algae, Pond snail, magpy, grass/ plants
Abiotic features of freshwater pond ecosystem
Plant pot, pond water, pond liner, soil, pebbles, rocks
Ecosystem meaning
Community of organisms that Interact with each other (and abiotic components) within an environment
Nutrient cycle meaning
Recycling of important minerals and elements like nitrogen within an ecosystem for the growth of plants and animals
What is a detritivore
Animal that feed on dead organic material e.g slugs and worms
What is detritus
Organic matter produced from decomposition of organisms
Reasons for why bees are declining
Pesticides used on plants/ crops can be harmful to them including from growth of agribusiness
Climate change (more extreme weather leads to decline in bee population)
Building settlements over green spaces removes their habitat
Spread of parasites e.g varroa destructor
What parasite feeds on bees and weakens them
Varroa destructor
Why are bees important (and Therfore their decline is bad)
Essential for food production (pollinate crops to provide more food e.g peas, wheat, barley)
Create genetic variation- keep ecosystems stable to prevent plants and animals from going extinct
Simple food chain with bees
Lavender-> bees-> crab spiders
Another word for global ecosystems (large scale)
Biome
What biome do more than half the world’s plants and animals live in
Tropical rainforest
What % of the Earth’s surface do rainforests cover
6%
Where are tropical rainforest located
Within the Tropics along the line of the Equator
Found in South America, Central Africa and South of Asia
4 examples of tropical rainforest biomes
Borneo rainforest
Amazon rainforest
Sumatran rainforest
The Congo Basin
What is the rainforest soil like
Orange
30-40 m deep
Very thin layer of humus at top
Low in nutrients
Wet from precipitation
What colour is the rainforest soil
Orange
How deep is rainforest soil
30- 40m
What 5 levels does rainforest soil consist of
Litter
Humus
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
What % of sunlight does the forest floor receive
2%
What are the conditions like on the forest floor
Dark (only receives 2% sunlight)
Damp
Warm and humid so rapid decay (dead plants and animal matter decompose very quickly into humus)
Few plants as only specially adapted plants and animals can survive here
What % of sunlight reaches the under canopy
5%
How tall are tress in the emergents layer
40-60m high
How tall are trees in the canopy layer
30m
How tall are trees in the under canopy
20m high
Why do trees and plants have large leaves in under canopy
Only 5% sunlight reaches here
Lots of chloroplasts to absorb as much sunlight as possible for photosynthesis
What layer of rainforest is most biomass and biodiversity found in
Canopy
2 examples of animals found in emergents layer
Certain monkeys
Eagles
Bats
Butterflies
What challenges does the pitcher plant face and how has it adapted to overcome these
Competition for nutrients as lack of sufficient nutrients in soil
Sweet smelling nectar to attract tree shrew- they make droppings into the plant as they drink which can be used for nutrients
Insects attracted by nectar so fall in and drown then decompose to provide nutrients
What does the pitcher plant have that attracts tree sheep and insects
Sweet smelling nectar
Why is it good if the sweet smelling nectar on pitcher plant attracts tree shrew and insects
Tree shrew- make droppings on the plant as they drink which can be used for nutrients
Insects- fall into nectar and drown and decompose to provide nutrients
What challenges does the rubber tree face
Low levels of sunlight (in under canopy only 5% sunlight) and high rainfall and humidity (coils leas to algae growth and therefore damaged leaves)
High number of predators like insects that eat the leaves
How are rubber trees adapted to TRF
Lots of ridges, drip tip and waxy surface (help leaf drain water off surface to prevent wilting with high levels of rainfall)
Leaves far apart around stem to prevent shadowing each other and blocking sunlight- maximise how much sunlight each leaf gets
Large surface area with lots of chlorophyll to absorb as much sunlight as possible
Why are the leaves on rubber trees far apart
Prevent leaves blocking sunlight from other leaves- maximises amount of sunlight each leaf gets
How are epiphytes adapted to the TRF
Leaves formed in basket shape
Catch leaves which fall from the tree and then decompose to provide nutrients
Hang roots in air to get nutrients and water as there is a lack of nutrients in the soil
Grow fruits which birds eat and then make droppings at the bottom of the trees to help fertilise it so that it can grow
Where is Malaysia located
Northern hemisphere, south east Asia, southern end of South China Sea
Neighbouring countries: Thailand (north west), Singapore (south west), Indonesia (south east)
Capital city: Kuala Lumpur
5 causes of deforestation in Malaysia
Farming
Building new roads and settlements
Logging
Mining
Dams and reservoirs
2 key products that Malaysia commercially farm
Palm oil
Soya beans
Which country is the largest exporter of palm oil in the world
Malaysia
1 example of mining in Malaysia
Chini- mine for maganese
In the 1980s what type of wood did Malaysia become the largest exporter of
Tropical wood
(logging causes deforestation)
What dam did Malaysia build
Bakun Dam
How big is the Bakun Dam in Malaysia
Size of Singapore (140km long)
How big is the Bakun Dam in Malaysia in Km squared
700 km squared
Why did Malaysia build the Bakun Dam
Green cheap renewable energy (hydroelectric power) so helps tackle climate change
Employment
Source of fresh drinking water
Tourist attraction
Controls flooding
Why can trees being removed cause flooding
More rainfall can reach ground is nothing (trees) is in way to intercept it
Nutrients are leached (washed away) out of soil
Soil is eroded and less fertile
Unprotected soil is exposed to direct sunlight
Soil becomes dry and compacted so hard for rain to soak in
Therefor flooding can occur
2 animals that have lost habitat due to deforestation
Orangutans
Pygmy elephants
How can deforestation lead to extinction
Loss of habitat e.g orangutans and Pygmy elephants
Animals forced to leave their home and migrate to other areas/ territory
More animals in small region means more competition for food and territory (survival)
Animals get outcompeted
What does slash and burn mean
To set on fire
(A way of removing trees as part of deforestation)
What gas do forest fires release
Carbon dioxide
Why can deforestation have a negative impact on the local economy (in terms of tourism)
Looks unattractive so less tourist visit and less people spend money
What is sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations
What is the ‘Heart of Borneo’ initiative
Declaration made by government in Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia 2007 to conserve biodiversity including protecting parks, encouraging selective logging and ecotourism in the Heart of Borneo (main part of island that remains intact (undamaged)
What is selective logging
A way to manage deforestation through carefully deciding which trees are cut down in a way that they will be able to regrow and will cause minimal impact on the rainforest
True or false, Malaysia use a selective logging system to manage the rainforest
True (Introduced 1977)
Explain the selective logging management system
1) only people with special licenses can cut down trees
2) 3-6 months after felling survey is carried out to check which trees have been cut
3) 2 year after felling plan on how to restore forest to make up for what has been cut down
4) 5-10 years after felling regeneration work done by forestry officials (replacement trees planted)
5) 30- 40 years after felling cycle repeats
6) 2 years before felling study in place to know which trees to cut down
7) 1 year before felling trees marked with arrow on to show which way they should be cut down
In selective logging why are trees marked with an arrow on them
Show which way the tree should be cut down to prevent it damaging other trees
How long is the selective lodging cycle
40 years
How does selective logging help prevent soil erosion
Ensures canopy of trees remain to intercept heavy daily rainfall to prevent it striking ground and eroding it
The Heart of Borneo was a declaration made by which 3 countries
Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia (in 2007)
What is the sloths’ predator
Jaguar
What international agreement helps sustainably manage rainforests
FSC
How do the FSC (international agreement) help to manage rainforests sustainably
10 principles must be seen when they visit the rainforest before the trees can be felled and the FCS symbol is then stamped onto products from these trees e.g paper
E.g protect Indigenous people’s rights
How many principles do the FSC have
10
E.g indigenous rights
One key indigenous tribe in Malaysia
Iban tribe
(In Borneo in Mulu National Park)
Brief facts about Mulu National Park
Located in Malaysia
Has ecotourism to help protect outstanding biodiversity
E.g local tribe (Iban tribe) get paid as tour guides as they get transported up river and go on trek
On Borneo Island
Ecotourism meaning
Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people
