GCSE 1.B - The Living World ( Ecosystems & Trop RainF ) Flashcards
Definition
Ecosystem
A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment.
Definition
Abiotic, Biotic
Non- living components, Living components.
Producers
Producers convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into glucose.
e.g. Plants that produce theor energy from photosynthesis
Consumers
Consumers get energy from the sugars produced by the producers (they eat producers)
e.g A pond snail that eats plants
Decomposers
Decomposers break down plant and animal material and return the nutrients ack to the soil
E.g. Bacteria and fungi
Food chain / web
A food chain shows the direct lines between producers and consumers in a direct line. A food web is a more complex, weblike version of this.
What are the 2 main sources of nutrients?
Rainwater washing chemicals out of the atmosphere and weathered rock releasing nutrients into the soil
What is an example of a local scale ecosystem?
A pond, hedgerow or woodland
What are global scale ecosystems called?
Biomes
What are some local scale changes to ecosystems?
Hedgerow removal - to increase size of fields
Draining ponds
Chopping down trees
Eutrophication
Invasive species
Extreme weather
What is Eutrophication
The process in which a body of water becomes enriches in dissolved nutrients that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life, usually resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen
one cause of eutro is farming fertiliser running into bodies of water
what is a main global scale change to ecosystems?
Climate change
how does draining ponds effect the environment
It can kill aquatic plants and mammals
How can wood chopping affect the environment?
It can ruin habitats for birds and affect the nutrient cycle
What are some of the things biome distribution is determined by?
Ocean Currents
Winds
Distribution of the land and sea
Equator (moisture and temperature)
Global atmospheric circulation
Where are tropical rainforests found?
Central and south america,south east asia, central africa and northern australia
What is the climate in a tropical rainforest like?
warm an wet, lots of rainfall and high temperatures consistanty throughout the year
what is leaching?
when rain washes the nutrients out of the soil, they go into the bedrock
Why is there high rainfall In tropical rainforest areas?
The global atmospheric circulation causes and area of low pressure to form at the equator, rising air creates clouds and heavy rain.
Why is there high temperature in tropical rainforests?
Because the sun is overhead for the most of the time
What are tropical rainforests soil like?, Why?
Infertile - lacking in nutrients
the frequent rain leaches the soil
old, deep and red
why are rainforest soils red?
due to the oxidisation of calcium and potassium
in a tropical rainforest, where are the mass of the nutrients held?
In the Biomass
What is a fresh water pond bottom like?
There is little oxygen or light but plently of sheler from rotting plants or stones. Decomposers and scavengers live here.
What is fresh pond mid-water like?
Animals breather through gills or skin. fish are the main predators. food is found on the surface or in the pond
What is above a fresh water ponds surface like?
Birds and animals breathe oxygen. food is found in or on the water, or in the margins.
What is a fresh water ponds surface like?
Plenty of oxygen and light. animals breathe trough gills, lungs or skin.
What is a fresh water pond margin like?
plenty of oxygen and light here. plently of shelter for plants and insects, for small animals to eat.
What are some fresh water pond producers?
algae / microscopi plants
detritus
What are sone fresh water pond consumers?
midge larva ( primary)
Great diving beetle (secondary)
fish (teritary)
heron (quanternery)
what are some decomposers?
fungi and bacteria
Why are decomposers important in nutrient cycling?
the break down the dead plant and animal matter so the nutrients in them can be re used
Causes fo climate change
Deforestation - Amazon/ malaysia
Greenhouse gases - CH4 Methane/ CO2
How does deforestation affect climate change?
It creates a loos of bio diversity and a loss of carbonstore
What are some impacts of climate change?
Animals dying out - polar bears
sea level rising / extreme weather events - forest fires
What are the three stores in the nutrient cycle?
Biomass, Soil, Litter
What is litter
(nutrient cycling)
Dead biomass