Geography Paper 3 Flashcards
Where is the biosphere located?
The biosphere is the layer of the earth’s surface between the lithosphere and the atmosphere
What are biomes?
Biomes are large scale ecosystems
What factors alter biome distribution?
Factors that alter biome distribution:
- Rock and soil type = acidity and nutrients affect plant growth
- Water availability and drainage = some plants prefer wet soil, others dry soil
- Altitude = temperature decreases with height, rainfall increases with height
What do biomes consist of?
Biomes consist of biotic parts (living) and abiotic parts (non-living)
What are the importance of ecosystems to people?
- Biomes provide people with goods (food, fuelwood, timber, chemical materials etc
- Supporting services (nutrient cycling, photosynthesis, soil formation)
- Regulating services (carbon storage and hydrological cycle)
- Cultural services - tourism, education, science and well-being
What are large biomes exploited for?
Biomes are being cleared for commercial farming, mining metal ores, timber, construction of dams for HEP and water supply
How does destroying biomes affect the atmosphere?
- Biomes remove co2 from the atmosphere, destroying them releases the co2
- Biomes maintains healthy soil by the nutrient cycle - by removing biomass, nutrient stores are removed
- Flood risks and water supply reduced (more surface run off due to deforestation leading to less interception of water)
- Burning forests turns them into carbo sources
What has led to an increase in demand for natural resources?
Industrialisation, urbanisation, population growth and risin wealth has led to an increase in demand for natural resources
What was Malthus’ viewpoint?
Malthus - pessimistic - population will grow, planet will run out of resources, leading to war famine and fewer children
What was Boserups’ viewpoint?
Boserup - humans will invent new ways to allow more resources to be supplied eg gm crops and farm machinery
Why is biodiversity high in tropical rainforests?
Biodiversity is high in rainforests because of the hot and wet climate all year round, species have evolved over millions of years, contains multiple layers of vegetation
How are hardwood trees adapted to the climate?
Hardwood trees are adapted to the climate as they have large buttress roots that support the weight of trees and leaves and branches are only found at the top
How are lianas adapted to the climate?
Lianas are adapted to the climate as they use the tree to climb up to the sunlight in the canopy
How are birds adapted to the climate?
Birds such as macaws have strong beaks to break open nuts
How are primates adapted to the climate?
Primates such as monkeys use their tails for balance and live in the canopy where most food is found