Geography- Ecosystems and TRFs

Question 1

What does abiotic and biotic mean?

Answer 1

Biotic means something is made up of living things.
Abiotic means something is made up of non living things.
Example:
Foxes and mushrooms are Biotic
Rivers and nutrients are Abiotic

Question 2

What is a keystone species?

Answer 2

A species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.
It helps to define an entire ecosystem.

Question 3

Information on UK beaver introduction

Answer 3

Castoreum from anal area, meat and fur caused beavers to be hunted.
They went extinct in the 16th century.
Beavers create new wet land habitats for other species which improves biodiversity and act as carbon sinks by storing CO2
Beavers can reduce flooding with their dams.
Eco tourism - people want to see beavers in the wild.
5-8% of the world is covered in wetlands and 25%of carbon is stored in them.
Flooding increases downstream if they build near cities or farms.
They can prevent fish migration and navigation in boats with their dams.
Beavers chop down larger than average trees which may hurt the environment.

Question 4

Information on Yellowstone National park case study

Answer 4

Yellowstone is located in Northern, central USA.
The park lost wolves due to extermination by humans and were gone for 70 years.
The whole park became overgrazed and new growth was hard.
They were reintroduced.
The number of elks halved which reduced grazing.
Coyotes, with the new competition had their numbers fall.
There were increased numbers of Beavers, aspen, foxes, birds of prey, rodents, magpies and more.
Aspen and trees regrew because of less grazing pressure.
River banks were stabilised due to increased trees meaning that there was less erosion.
Beavers flooded areas promoting new growth.

Question 5

How can an ecosystem be restored?

Answer 5

Many species have been hunted to extinction for sport or for something they produce like fur. This can cause an increase in other animals which devastates environments (interdependence is imbalanced).
The reintroduction of these species can help rebalance the ecosystem.

Question 6

What things may affect an ecosystem?(5)

Answer 6

Tourism - Tourists may pollute the area or cause foot erosion. Companies may chop down trees or harm the environment to get money from these tourists with attractions.
Agriculture - Agricultural fertilisers can lead to eutrophication - nitrates increase, algae grows, oxygen depletes. Over farming can deplete soil of nutrients.
Fishing - Over fishing can lead to extinction of species. People may also litter there because fishing takes a long time.
Extreme weather - Droughts, Hurricanes and tornadoes can significantly impact ecosystems. Heavy rainfall may lead to leaching and runoff which may prevent flora growth.
Deforestation - Increases soil erosion, lowers nutrients in soil. Destroys habitats. Releases carbon into atmosphere.

Question 7

What is a global ecosystem/ biome?

Answer 7

Very large ecological areas on the earth’s surface of biomes, with fauna and flora (animals and plants) adapting to their environment.
Examples:
Tropical rainforest, Desert, temperate forest.

Question 8

What is runoff

Answer 8

Runoff occurs when there is more water than land can absorb. This may leach the land of nutrients or remove litter from the ground.

Question 9

What is leaching?

Answer 9

Leaching is the removal of materials in solution or suspension downwards as water moves vertically through the soil body by force of gravity.
It removes the nutrients meaning plants may not survive

Question 10

What is the nutrient cycle?

Answer 10

Plants(biomass) absorb nutrients from the soil. When the plants die, they form a layer of vegetation known as litter. This is decomposed and nutrients are released back into the soil. Leaching takes some nutrients away, rock weathering adds nutrients back.

Question 11

What are the different parts of the food chain?

Answer 11

Producers convert energy from the environment into glucose. These are typically plants.
Consumers get energy produced from the sugars made by the producers. These are typically herbivores/ Omnivores on the first level.
Next level consumers get energy from other consumers by eating them. These are all predators and are top of the food chain.

Question 12

What is the food chain and food web? How are they different?

Answer 12

A food chain shows the flow energy from one living organism to another.
A food web consists of interlocking food chains and can be easily damaged by physical and/or human factors.
A food chain shows how different organisms interact and eat on a small scale whereas a food web is made up of many more organisms on a larger scale because it is made up of multiple food chains.

Question 13

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 13

An ecosystem is a biological community of interacting organisms and their environment.

Question 14

What is humus and how is it produced?

Answer 14

Humus is nutrient rich and is found in soil. It is created when decomposers decompose leaves and remove the nutrients. It is typically found on the surface or top layers of soil.

Question 15

Information about Epping forest Case study

Answer 15

Epping Forest is a site of special scientific interest (SSS).
Located North East of London.
It has a large number of native tree species including oak, elm, ash, and beech.
studies have found 700 species of fungi - decomposers.
It is 6000 acres and used to be larger.
It has been managed for over 1000 years.
It is a hunting resort.
It is an example of a small-scale ecosystem in the UK and is a deciduous forest.
It has producers and consumers such as mosses, herbs, beetles, worms, mice, small birds, foxes and owls.

Question 16

What does interdependence mean?

Answer 16

The dependence of different organisms on each other
All organisms in an ecosystem depend on each other. If the population of one organism falls then this can affect the rest of the ecosystem.
Example:
grass -> rabbit -> fox
Foxes die
Nothing eating rabbit so they grow in numbers
They eat all the grass and they starve

Question 17

What are the different parts of a rainforest?(4)

Answer 17

Shrub layer/Forest floor - It is where decomposition takes place. Because of dark and moist conditions, plants and animals decompose quickly. Fungi feed on decaying matter. Few plants except small trees and shrubs grow here due to limited light.
Under canopy - The under canopy is relatively dark due to the canopy. The air is still and it would take you time to feel the rain because the canopy blocks most of it.
Canopy - 80% of the sunlight is absorbed by the canopy. Holds 70% of the species. Most of the rainfall is captured by the canopy.
Emergents - The emergent layer has insects and birds that are crucial for pollination. These trees can be 120 feet tall and 16 feet wide. Temperate and climate fluctuations are common.

Question 18

General facts about rainforests(5)

Answer 18

50% of the earths plans and animal species live in tropical rainforests.
25% of the ingredients in cancer-fighting drugs come from the rainforest.
20% of the worlds oxygen comes from rainforests and they are known as the lungs of the world.
Every second a football pitch sized area of rainforest is cut down.
The rainforest produces 50% of its own rainfall.

Question 19

What is latisol and where does the rainforest get nutrients?

Answer 19

Soil in tropical rainforest is called Latisol. It is rich in iron and aluminium and is red in colour. It is infertile. This is due to heavy rainfall leaching the nutrients out of the soil.
Most nutrients are found at the surface where dead leaves decompose.
Many trees and plants have shallow roots to absorb the nutrients.
This means that if these nutrients are washed away, the rainforest won’t have any nutrients left.

Question 20

What are adaptations?

Answer 20

Adaptations occur when a species evolves to best suit its environment

Question 21

What is biodiversity?

Answer 21

Biodiversity is the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat a high lever of which is usually considered to be important or desirable.

Question 22

What is species richness and species evenness?

Answer 22

Species richness is how many species there are.
Species evenness is how equal the species are.
Biodiversity is measured with a combination of these factors.

Question 23

Why is palm oil harmful to rainforests?

Answer 23

Palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia from Palm trees.
Palm oil is produced in plantations in rainforests.
Large areas of trees containing orangutan are cut down for these plantations.
150,000 orangutans or half of the island population died due to palm oil and poaching.
It also reduces biodiversity and is a driving factor for increased deforestation.
Palm oil can be made sustainably if you meet the criteria of the RSPO. These criteria include no areas of high biodiversity, primary forests, fragile ecosystems or areas which are needed by locals can be cut down.

Question 24

What are the causes of deforestation?

Answer 24

Cattle ranching
Arable/commercial farming
Subsistence farming
Mineral extraction
Logging
Selective logging
Infrastructure/roads
Population pressure
Hydroelectric power

Question 25

What is commercial/arable and subsistence farming and how does it affect rainforests?

Answer 25

Commercial/arable farming involves clearing large areas of land for farmers to grow cash crops. These crops bring huge profits for farmers when compared to wheat, barley and rice. It is devastating to rainforests and is especially prominent in Malaysia with Palm oil plantations.
Subsistence farming involves growing food in clearings or burning away trees (called slash and burn) and getting meat from forests. It is practiced by tribal people and is not very harmful to the environment because the area is allowed to regrow after.

Question 26

What is logging clear felling and selective logging and how does it affect rainforests?

Answer 26

Logging involves cutting down lots of valuable trees like mahogany so they can be sold for furniture. Less valuable trees are cut to make paper products.
Clear felling(a type of logging) in places like Malaysia is common. It involves chopping down all the trees in an area leading to total destruction of habitats.
Selective logging is much more sustainable and involves only cutting down fully grown trees that aren't very important to an area. Trees with ecological value are left behind. This results in less trees being cut but there it means that more trees stay alive in an area.

Question 27

What is mineral extraction and mining and how does it affect rainforests?

Answer 27

Mining is very common in Peninsular Malaysia. Rainforest is cleared for mining for oil, gas, iron ore, copper, tin, aluminium and gold. Sometimes large mines are used and other time surface mining (or open-cast mining) is used which takes place in large open pits. It scars the landscape and is much cheaper and chops down trees. Gold mining is particularly destructive as mercury is used which can poison water supplies.

Question 28

How does the production of roads affect rainforests?

Answer 28

The construction of roads does not cause much deforestation as only an smaller number of trees are cut down. However, it can allow areas of rainforest to be accessed by farmers, loggers and miners which causes more deforestation.

Question 29

What is population pressure and infrastructure and how does it affect rainforests?

Answer 29

15,000 hectares of forest were cleared for settlers moving to the countryside from cities (transmigration) between 1956 and 1980 in Malaysia. This population growth resulted in the loss of rainforest as land was cleared to build houses and infrastructure. Some cities have expanded deep into rainforest and destroyed many habitats.

Question 30

What is interception, transpiration and evapotranspiration?

Answer 30

Interception is where trees/vegetation collects falling precipitation.
Transpiration is the exhalation of water vapour through the stomata.
Evapotranspiration is where the water held on leaves is evaporated due to the sun.

Question 31

What threats does deforestation cause to indigenous people?

Answer 31

Many indigenous people rely on the rainforest to survive. They hunt animals use subsistence farming to grow crops. Without trees, they are in unable to do these things and often get kicked out of an area. Even when they move, they are in an unfamiliar area and may die because of this.

Question 32

What is soil erosion and desertificaiton?

Answer 32

Soil erosion is the removal of topsoil faster than it can be replaced due to natural, animal and human activity. It can be caused by deforestation reducing the amount of interception which leaches the soil of nutrients. Soil which has been eroded is hard to grow on and can dry out to increased sun exposure. This is called desertification. When this occurs, flooding increases when it rains due to less interception and the ground being unable to absorb the water.

Question 33

What are the reasons for protecting rainforests?(8)

Answer 33

Biodiversity - Rainforests contain half of the worlds species of plants and animals.
Climate - Rainforests produce 28% of the worlds oxygen.
Climate change - They store lots of CO2
Medicine - Around 25% of medicine come from rainforest plants.
Water - Rainforests are important resources for clean water. 20% of the worlds fresh water comes from the Amazon basin.
People - Indigenous people live in harmony with the rainforest. It is their home.
Resources - They provide valuable hardwoods as well as nuts, fruits and rubber.
Soil erosion - This may mean nothing will ever grow back here and can cause the rainforest to desertify.
Flooding will increase due to trees not taking up water.

Question 34

What does sustainability mean?

Answer 34

Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Question 35

What is selective logging and replanting? How can it sustainably manage rainforests?

Answer 35

A project in Brazil has been set up to plant a new tree for every one that is cut. They were responsible for planting 33,000 trees in 2018.
Benefits: Selective logging only takes useful trees so there isn’t much soil erosion or habitat destruction. Replanting can help replace trees that were lost so there are still the same number of trees now as there are in the future. Rainforest stops shrinking.
Limitations: Selective logging makes it harder to get higher quantities of wood, driving up the price. Unless you plant lots of trees, the rainforest won’t grow back. Trees take many years to fully grow.

Question 36

What is conservation and education?How can it sustainably manage rainforests?

Answer 36

Conservation - by protection of large areas of land with national parks. The land can be used for eco-tourism which boosts the economy. Education - By teaching people about the importance of rainforests, people are less likely to destroy them.
Benefits: It prevents deforestation in large areas and helps boost the economy with tourism. Rainforest alliance have save 160million acres of trees from being cut. Poor people are forced to hurt rainforests but the RA have certified 37,000 small scale farmers. People make better decisions when educated.
Limitations: It costs a lot of money to educate people and sometime they still won’t care. National parks require lots of money and workers. The parks may not be able to fully stop people from cutting trees and so people may still do it.

Question 37

What are international agreements?How can it sustainably manage rainforests?

Answer 37

Countries can make deals with one another for rainforest protection. This is often in the form of offering investment in return for lack of deforestation.
Benefits: It allows LICs and NEEs the money to preserve their rainforests. Can improve relationships between countries. Benefits all parties and reduces deforestation.
Limitations: There isn’t a way to ensure they are protecting the TRFs. Nothing stopping the country from taking the money and doing nothing.

Question 38

What is ecotourism? How can it sustainably manage rainforests?

Answer 38

Eco tourism is a type of tourism that focuses on nature. Rainforest can be the destination for tourists and it helps to educate those about rainforests.
Benefits: It can boost a countries economy and the wellbeing of local communities. It educates and introduces people to nature without environmental damage. You get profits in the long term.
Limitations: It is only small-scale tourism and is limited in terms of money production. Chops down a couple trees. May increase littering. Produces a lot of CO2 (3.69 tonnes) to get people from the UK to Peru by plane.

Question 39

What is debt reduction/ debt relief? How can it sustainably manage rainforests?

Answer 39

Countries can do something called ‘debt for nature swapping’. This is when countries agree to cancel certain amounts of debt if they do not carry out deforestation. Deforestation occurs to boost the economy and help pay off the debt.
Benefits: By cancelling a countries debt, they no longer need to deforest. Helps animals stay alive and they get to keep their habitats. Stops countries like Indonesia from producing CO2. The US gave Indonesia 30mil for this. Helps the debt country prosper and improves the economy.
Limitations: There is nothing stopping the country from wiping out the TRF once they get their debt cancelled. How will governments ensure that deforestation isn’t occurring. If the country doesn’t stop it may cause resentment and increase tensions.