forest under threat - paper 3 Flashcards
abiotic components
Non-living environmental factors that have influence over the ecosystem
acid rain
Rain with a pH of around 4, formed when chemicals from industrial processes react
with water in clouds to form acids.
adaptation
An evolved trait of an animal or plant that helps them to cope with environmental
stresses.
biodiversity
A large variety of animal and plant life living in the same ecosystem.
biofuels
Fuels produced from biomass
biomass
Total mass of organisms in a set area.
biome
Also known as a global-scale ecosystem; a large, distinct region of the Earth with similar
climate, soil, plants and animals.
biotic components
Living organisms that interact with the environment and other organisms
within an ecosystem.
buttress roots
Large, thick tree roots that grow above the ground in tropical rainforests.
camouflage
An animal adaptation where animals purposefully look like their surroundings to
hide from predators.
canopy
The layer of a tropical rainforest where the tops of trees touch, forming a dense area of
vegetation.
carbon sink
Something that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits, causing a net loss of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
cattle ranching
The rearing of cows on large areas of land, usually to produce meat to sell for a
profit.
CITES
(The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna & Flora)
an international agreement that works to protect threatened wildlife from exploitation.
climate change
A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as changes in temperature or precipitation patterns.
commercial farming
Agriculture that is intended to create surplus produce to sell for a profit.
conifers
Cone-bearing trees that are usually evergreen and have needle-shaped leaves, native to colder environments
conservation
Taking action to ensure a resource or environment is not depleted and over-exploited.
consumers
Organisms that receive energy from consuming (i.e.eating) living organisms.
debt-for-nature swaps
Agreements where one country reduces the amount of debt owed by
another country in return for the owing country putting efforts into environmental conservation.
decomposer
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into
the ecosystem.
deforestation
The permanent (and usually large-scale) removal of trees.
drip tip
An adaptation of a leaf where the end of the leaf is tapered, allowing rainwater to drip off.
drought
A sustained period of abnormally dry weather.
ecosystem
A natural system in which a community of plants and animals interact with each other
and their physical environment.
ecotourism
Tourism that aims to have reduced environmental impact and supports conservation
efforts, making it sustainable.
epiphytes
Plants that live on the surface of other plants, receiving nutrients from these plants.
food web
A representation of the interactions between multiple producers and consumers within
a specific ecosystem, shown through a series of different food webs.
fossil fuels
Fuels made up of the remains of organic material, such as oil, coal and gas.
growing season
The time of the year when temperatures and precipitation levels are high
enough that plants can grow.
hibernation
An adaptation where animals sleep through the entire winter by entering a state of
extremely reduced activity to conserve energy.
hydroelectric power (HEP)
Energy harnessed from the movement of water.
indigenous people
The earliest known settlers in an area.
interdependence
The concept of multiple things depending on each other for survival.
leaching
A process in soils where minerals are washed away by water (usually rainfall).
lianas
Woody vines found in tropical rainforests; their roots grow on the forest floor, but the vines
stretch high into the canopy.
litter
Organic matter that falls onto a forest floor.
logging
cutting down trees for wood.
migration
The seasonal movement of animals.
nutrient cycle
The transfer of nutrients through an ecosystem, from the decay of organic
material into the production and energy of living organisms.