Global Ecosystems and Importance Flashcards
Ecosystem
The relationship between living and non-living organisms in an environment.
Biome
A world scale ecosystem
Biosphere
Part of the Earth’s surface inhabited by living things
Environment
The physical surroundings where plants and animals live
Examples of non-living environment and their name?
Rocks, soil, the air and climate
Abiotic
Examples of living environment and their name?
Animals, birds, fish, insects and people
Biotic features
Natural ecosystem
A community of plants and animals unaffected by human activity
Name 7 biomes
Tundra, Temperate forest, Boreal forest, Desert, Tropical grassland, Tropical rainforest, Temperate grassland
Tundra
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Where?
Low temps, low rainfall, covered in ice or snow
Little vegetation
Around the North pole
Boreal forest
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Where?
Seasonal temps, warm summers cold winters
Mostly coniferous trees
Northern hemisphere
Hot desert
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Where?
High temps, low precipitation
Sparse vegetation
Near tropics
Tropical grasslands
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Where?
High temps all year, wet and dry seasons
Grassland with scattered shrubs and trees
Near equator
Tropical rainforest
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Where?
High temps and rainfall all year round
High biodiversity
Around the equator
Temperate forest
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Distinctive seasons, warm summer, cold winter, moderate rainfall
Deciduous trees
Temperate grassland
Characteristics?
Vegetation?
Seasonal temps, periods of rainfall
Grassland with scattered shrubs and trees
7 global factors of distribution of biomes?
3 local factors of distribution of biomes?
Latitude; Rain shadow effect; Proximity to oceans; Inter-tropical convergence zone; Convection cell at equator; Tilt of the Earth; Cool air at tropics.
–>Soil, altitude, humans
Effect of latitude
As the latitude increases, the temp decreases
The angle of the suns rays affects the temp
Convection cell at equator
High temps at equator causes evaporation
Vapour condenses forming clouds and heavy rainfall
Area of low pressure
Inter-tropical convergence zone
A belt of low pressure that moves north in Jun, creating a wet season, moves south in Jan
Proximity to oceans
Places near oceans have more moderate climates-cooled by the sea in the summer and warmed in winter
Rain shadow effect
High mountains force clouds to rise, cool and release precip. No moisture after, dry biomes
Cool air at tropics
Air moves away from equator, cools, sinks, causing high pressure, high temps, low precip
Tilt of Earth
Distance from sun creates seasons, weather patterns, equator remains unaffected
Local factors:
Altitdue
Every 100m gain in height, the temp decreases by 1oc High mountains can have tundras
Local factors:
Soil
Soil conditions change the features of an ecosystem. Poorly drained=swampy areas. Infertile=low biodiversity
Local factors:
Humans
Humans change the features of ecosystems by deforestation, using resources
Examples of goods in TRF?
Paper, wood, cocoa, fruit, minerals, medicine
Examples of services in TRF?
Tourism, mining, atmos regulation, biodiversity
Over-exploitation
The use of goods and services to the point where it has a profound impact on the environment
4 UK Ecosystems
Wetland, Moorland, Heathland, Woodland
Moorland
Where?What?
Upland areas, too high for crops
Rough grassland, heather,grouse
Woodland
Where?What?
All over Uk
Deciduous trees like oak and ash, bluebells and ferns
Wetland
Where?What?
Mainly in Scotland, drained to make fertile land, few remain
Waterlogged soils, bog mosses
Heathland
Where?What?
Across lowland areas
Can be sandy or marshy, sand lizards, marsh gentian
4 UK marine ecosystems goods and services
Energy (wind)
Energy (oil)
Tourism
Fishing
Marine service:
Tourism
250mil people visit UK coast
Marine service:
Fishing
UK fishing fleet is 7th largest in EU
Marine good:
Energy (oil)
UK has oil reserves of around 24 bil barrels
Marine good:
Energy(wind)
London Array is world’s biggest wind farm
4 ways we degrade our marine environment
Overfishing
Large wind farms
Waste
Eutrophication
Overfishing affecting the marine environment?
Overexploitation-fish stocks at very low levels
Eutrophication affecting the marine environment?
Fertilisers washed into rivers, lack of sunlight to plants, plants can die
Large wind farms affecting the marine environment?
Produces electricity, destroys landscape and plant life
Waste affecting the marine environment?
Sewage being released into oceans and rivers
Differences to the gersmehl model in TRF and deciduous woodland?
TRF has larger biomass due to more optimum conditions
Smaller soil store in TRF due to heat causing quick cycles
The cycle is slower in deciduous woodland
Description of Gersmehl model in deciduous woodland?
Fairly equal stores, biomass bigger due to precipitation and summer warmth
Description of Gersmehl model in TRF?
Large biomass store, high biodiversity. Small soil store, high uptake and leaching
2 examples of interdependency in TRF?
Plants need soil, water sunlight
Butterflies that pollinate flowers
4 layers of the TRF?
Forest floor, under canopy, canopy, emergents
Forest floor?
Dark, high decomposition, tigers
Under canopy?
In shade of big trees, tree frogs
Canopy?
Overlapping branches, more sunlight, monkeys
Emergents?
Most sunlight, few trees, eagles
Gersmehl model
3 stores?
3 pathways and def?
Biomass, soil, litter
Uptake pathway- between soil and biomass, biomass takes nutrients from the soil
Fallout pathway- between biomass and litter, leaves and dead animals fall to litter
Decay pathway- between litter and soil, release nutrients
Gersmehl model
2 gains?
2 losses?
Gain from precipitation, rainfall into litter
Gain from weathering, break down of rocks release nutrients
Loss by run off, nutrients removed when water runs off surface
Loss by leaching, nutrients leave soil, seep deeper into rocks
Food chain
5 types of consumers in order?
Producers–>primary consumers–>secondary consumers–>tertiary consumers–>decomposers
2 plant adaptations in TRF?
2 animal adaptations in TRF?
Buttress roots- roots above the soil, stability, thin nutrient rich soil
Drip tip leaves- pointy leaves to funnel water off, lot of rain
-Sloths- still for long enough, algae grows, helps camouflage
-Poison dart frog- brightly coloured skin, warns then releases toxins that kill predators
3 ways climate change will affect the TRF?
Structure–> trees will have deep roots to reach groundwater
Function–> less dense forest, absorb less CO2, lower atmos regulation
Biodiversity–> temps are very similar all year, species won’t cope with fluctuations and risk becoming extinct
2 economic causes of deforestation in TRF?
Resource extraction- gold price increased, trees cut down to make room for excavation sites
Commercial logging- illegally cutting down rare trees like Rosewood to make money
2 social reasons for deforestation TRF?
-Cattle ranching- high demand for meat, makes up 80% of deforestation, needs large amount of space
-Population growth- 1940 Brazil introduced immunisations, more space and materials needed for housing
Governance?
Commodity value?
Ecotourism?
Actions the government have taken to protect the Amazon
Actions that change the price of goods to sustain TRFs
Tourism that doesn’t harm the environment
3 sustainable management strats of Amazon rainforest?
Reducing demand of illegal enterprises- green frog certifications show the enterprise is sustainable, encourages people to buy
Monitoring- REDD scheme guides activities in the Amazon to reduce emissions
Entrance fees- paid by tourists, invested in conservation and education projects
Layers of deciduous woodland and what is found there?
Forest floor- mosses and lichens
Shrub- bluebells and brambles
Under canopy- saplings, birch and maple trees
Canopy- oak, beech trees
2 plant adaptations in deciduous woodland?
2 animal adaptations in deciduous woodland?
Oak tree- Drops leaves, due to lack of sunlight, conserves energy and water
Bluebells- flower early, maximise light access before other trees come into leaf
-Birds- migrate to warmer conditions in winter
-Squirrels- store food to eat in winter
Deciduous woodland
2 goods?
2 services?
Goods: fuel-> wood burning stoves, timber-> construction of houses
Services: conservation-> visits to woodlands are managed, recreation-> activities like GoApe canopy walkways
2 economic causes of deforestation in deciduous woodlands?
-Land in UK is suitable for farming, profitable
-Timber extraction of softwood trees to sell
2 social causes of deforestation in deciduous woodlands?
-Population increase, woodland cleared for housing
-Increase in cars, cleared for road construction
3 ways climate change will affect deciduous woodlands?
Structure–> droughts lead to more forest fires
Function–> disrupt process like seed germination as they are triggered by cold temps
Biodiversity–> tree species that don’t adapt to seasonal changes will die out
4 sustainable management strats of the New Forest
-Coniferous trees cut for timber are replaced to maintain no of them
-Reduced work in Summer to not disturb nesting birds
-Pesticides and herbicides are used sparingly to avoid damage
-Electric charging points are in the National Park to encourage electric vehicles
