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hass > Geography > Flashcards

Geography Flashcards

1
Q

Ecosystem

A

A community of living organisms that live in and interact with each other in a specific environment. Building blocks for biological organisation.

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2
Q

Abiotic factors

A

Relating to things in the environment that are not living.

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3
Q

Biotic factors

A

Relating to living things in the environment.

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4
Q

Four spheres

A

Lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere.

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5
Q

Lithosphere

A

AKA geosphere. The solid part of the earth’s crust, consisting of rocks and soil.

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6
Q

Hydrosphere

A

All of earth’s water bodies, including lakes, rivers, streams, oceans, ground water and ice caps.

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7
Q

Biosphere

A

The realm of living things, including plants and animals.

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8
Q

Atmosphere

A

Layers of gas surrounding the earth.

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9
Q

Interaction between the four spheres

A

A change in one area can cause a change in another.

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10
Q

Example of an interaction between the four spheres

A

For example, rain (hydrosphere) falls from clouds in the atmosphere to the lithosphere and forms streams and rivers that provide drinking water for wildlife and humans as well as water for plant growth (biosphere).

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11
Q

Natural biome

A

Large areas on Earth with similar conditions such as climates and living organisms.

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12
Q

List the different biomes

A

Tropical rainforests, temperate forests, taiga forests, woodlands, savanna grasslands, temperate grasslands, desert, tundra, alpine

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13
Q

Tropical rainforest location

A

Between the latitudes of 23.5°N (tropic of Cancer) and 23.5°S (tropic of Capricorn) – the tropics.

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14
Q

Ecosystem dynamics

A

There is a flow of energy between the elements. There is an exchange of matter between the abiotic and biotic elements within the system ie nutrient cycles.

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15
Q

Components of an ecosystem

A

Rocks, landforms, climate, flora, fauna, soils.

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16
Q

Cycles within the ecosystem

A

While energy is supplied to an ecosystem from the sun and is ultimately lost, nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen are continually recycled and reused over and over.

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17
Q

Biogeochemical

A

the cycle in which chemical elements and simple substances are transferred between living systems and the environment.

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18
Q

Tropical rainforest flora

A

Characteristics include sucker roots that allow them to attach to trees. Woody stems. Eg. orchids, philodendrons, ferns, bamboo, and banana trees.

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19
Q

Tropical rainforest soil

A

Nutrient poor

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20
Q

Tropical rainforest rainfall

A

Very high annual rainfall. 200cm of rain per year.

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21
Q

Tropical rainforest average temperature

A

Daily: range from 20c to 25c. Warm and humid all year round.

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22
Q

Tropical rainforest fauna characteristics

A

Camouflage, mimicry, limited diet, poison, and nocturnality.

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23
Q

Tropical rainforest fauna examples

A

Jaguar, African grey parrot, toucan, and spider monkey.

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24
Q

Temperate forests locations

A

East north America, Europe, east Asia.

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25
Q

Temperate forest flora characteristics

A

Lose their leaves and regrow them.

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26
Q

Temperate forest climate characteristics

A

Ave temp of 10c . 75 - 150cm rainfall annually

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27
Q

Temperate forest fauna

A

Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, people.

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28
Q

Temperate forest soil fertility

A

High fertility.

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29
Q

Taiga forests location

A

Across Alaska, America, Eurasia.

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30
Q

Taiga forests flora

A

Plenty of trees. Cone bearing trees w needles. Spruce hemlock. Leaves don’t fall off and decay, soil isn’t very fertile. Trees go well and are suited to the cold weather

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31
Q

Taiga forests soil fertility

A

Low fertility

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32
Q

Taiga forests fauna

A

Moose, rabbit, owl

33
Q

Woodlands location

A

Cover 20% of the world’s land surface. Highly concentrated between the equatorial rain forests and the midlatitude deserts and semideserts.

34
Q

Woodlands flora

A

Trees and shrubs, climbers, bulbs, grasses, mosses, lichens.

35
Q

Woodlands climate characteristics

A

Summers with little rain, fires every 5-20 years. Temperate climate. No extremes, Four seasons. 15-17c in summer.

36
Q

Woodlands soil fertility

A

Organic rich soil environment.

37
Q

Woodlands fauna

A

Birds, bats, reptiles, amphibians, ground dwelling and arboreal mammals, invertebrates.

38
Q

Savanna grasslands location

A

Africa. 1/4 of land is grasslands.

39
Q

Savanna grasslands flora

A

Grass. Dry grassy fields.

40
Q

Savanna grasslands climate characteristics

A

25-75cm of rainfall annually. Ave temp 20c

41
Q

Savanna grasslands soil

A

Nutrient rich soil.

42
Q

Savanna grasslands fauna

A

Giraffe, zebra, bison.

43
Q

Desert location

A

Cover 20% of the earth and are on every continent. Mainly found 30 to 50 degrees latitude, called the mid-latitudes. These areas are about halfway between the equator and the north and south poles.

44
Q

Desert flora

A

Cacti and succulents, wildflowers, and trees, shrubs, and grasses. Examples include prickly pear cacti, tumbleweed, Mexican poppies and orange trees.

45
Q

Desert climate characteristics

A

Very low precipitation, low humidity, and an overall moisture deficit. Typical deserts have average annual temperatures of 20=25°C. In hot and dry deserts highs reach around 44-50°C. The soil surface can reach greater than 70°C

46
Q

Desert soil

A

Thin, sandy, rocky, and generally grey in colour. Surface may appear crusty. Sand.

47
Q

Desert fauna

A

Long eyelashes, thick eyebrows and nocturnality. Examples include coyotes, bobcats, spiders, fennec foxes.

48
Q

Tundra location

A

Northern parts of the world arctic ocean Europe Asia and north America.

49
Q

Tundra flora

A

No trees because they cant adapt. Small shrubs

50
Q

Tundra climate

A

Cold. Goes down to -51c. IN the warmer months, the highest temperature is around 10c. Extremely dry and cold.

51
Q

Tundra soil

A

Largely permafrost or soil that remains frozen year-round,

52
Q

Tundra fauna

A

Insects. Characteristics such as thick fur

53
Q

Climate

A

Atmospheric changes over longer periods of time, usually defined as 30 years or more.

54
Q

Weather

A

Short-term changes in the atmosphere. An average of weather conditions over time. A change in climate can lead to changes in weather patterns.

55
Q

Koppens climate classifications

A

(A) Tropical, (B) Dry, (C) Temperate, (D) Continental, (E) Polar

56
Q

A

A

Tropical moist climates: all months have average temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius

57
Q

B

A

Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation during most of the year

58
Q

C

A

Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters

59
Q

D

A

Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold Winters

60
Q

E

A

Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters and summers

61
Q

Purpose of a climate graph

A

To show the average rainfall and temperatures experienced at a place throughout the year. Useful to compare conditions in different places.

62
Q

Six factors that influence climate.

A

Latitude, Altitude, Prevailing winds, Distance from the sea, Ocean currents, Great mountain barriers.

63
Q

Spatial distribution of the major biomes

A

Tropical biomes are found near the equator. As you move away from the equator, you enter the temperate zone, and the furthest from the equator is the polar zone.

64
Q

Spatial distribution of climate.

A

Areas directly above the equator are hot, dry, and arid. As we move further from the equator the climate is temperate. Above the temperate zone is snow and polar regions.

65
Q

Soil

A

It consists of inorganic particles and organic matter. Soil provides the structural support to plants used in agriculture and is also their source of water and nutrients.

66
Q

Biomass

A

Material that comes from living organisms, such as plants and animals. The most common biomass materials used for energy are plants, wood, and waste.

67
Q

Ecological balance

A

Ecosystems are usually in a stable equilibrium or homeostasis. Disruptions or changes in this balance are corrected by some negative feedback to return the system to its point of balance.

68
Q

Latitude

A

Position in relation to the equator.

69
Q

Altitude

A

How high above sea level a location is. Higher = colder.

70
Q

Prevailing winds

A

Wind distributes heat and moisture around the earth. Wind blowing from cold places cause cooler climates. Wind blowing from warm places cause higher temperatures.

71
Q

Distance from sea

A

Wind from oceans and seas cool nearby places during summer, and have a warming effect in winter.

72
Q

Ocean currents

A

A warm ocean current increases the temperature and rainfall of any place it passes. Cold ocean currents have the opposite effect.

73
Q

Great mountain barriers.

A

Mountains determine the amount of precipitation a place receives. When warm and moist air is forced to rise over high mountains, the rainfall is heavy.

74
Q

Systems

A

Heat budget, hydrological cycle, atmospheric circulation, carbon cycle.

75
Q

Heat budget

A

The balance of incoming and outgoing heat on earth.

76
Q

Hydrological cycle

A

Precipitates to earth from the atmosphere. It can run off and seep into the surface of the earth or be stored in ice caps. Water returns to the atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration

77
Q

Atmospheric circulation

A

Large scale movement of air. Means by which thermal energy is redistributed on the earth.

78
Q

Carbon cycle

A

The process where carbon is recycled through the ecosystem.

hass (4 decks)

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