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Geography > Living World > Flashcards

Living World Flashcards

1
Q

Ecosystem definition

A

Natural systems that link the living and non-living components of the environment.

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2
Q

What are the living components called?

A

Biotic elements

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3
Q

What are the non-living components called?

A

Abiotic elements

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4
Q

Examples of biotic factors

A
  • animals (fauna)
  • bacteria
  • fungi
  • vegetation (flora)
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5
Q

examples of abiotic factors

A
  • air
  • climate
  • water
  • rocks/soil
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6
Q

What scales can ecosystems be identified at?

A
  • a local small-scale ecosystem (can be a pond,hedgerow or woodland)
  • a global-scale ecosystem (can be a tropical rainforest or a deciduous woodland. Global ecosystems are called biomes)
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7
Q

producers

A

They convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into sugar (glucose). The most obvious producers are plants that convert energy from the Sun by photosynthesis.

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8
Q

Consumers

A

They get energy from the sugars produced by the producers. A pond snail is a good example of a consumer because it eats plants.

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9
Q

Decomposers

A

They break down plant and animal material and return the nutrients to the soil. Bacteria and fungi are good examples of decomposers.

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10
Q

Food chain

A

A food chain shows the direct links between producers and consumers in the form of a simple line.

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11
Q

Food web

A

It shows all the connections between producers and consumers in a rather more complex way

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12
Q

Nutrient cycling

A

-nutrients are foods that are used by plants or animals to grow. There are two main sources of nutrients:
.rainwater washes chemicals out of the atmosphere
.weathered rock releases nutrients into the soil

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13
Q

Rainforest

A
  • located between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, between 0 and 23.5 degrees N and S of the equator
  • high temperatures and heavy rainfall that are associated with the equatorial low pressure belt creates ideal conditions for plants to grow
  • The ecosystem covers 6% of the Earth’s land surface
  • More than half of the world’s species of plants and animals live in this ecosystem, and 25% of all medicines come from the plants that grow in this ecosystem.
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14
Q

Nutrient cycling

A

-nutrients are foods that are used by plants or animals to grow. There are two main sources of nutrients:
.rainwater washes chemicals out of the atmosphere
.weathered rock releases nutrients into the soil

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15
Q

Desert

A
  • located up to 30 degrees N and S of the Equator
  • the ecosystem covers 20% of the world’s land surface
  • this ecosystem is associated with sub-tropical high pressure belts: sinking air stops clouds from forming which results in high daytime temperatures, low night-time temperatures and low rainfall (less than 250 mm a year). Plants and animals have to be very well adapted to survive in these arid conditions.
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16
Q

Polar

A

-located primarily in the Arctic and Antarctic, but also in the high peaks of mountain systems
- these ecosystems exist because of sinking cold air at the north and South poles
-this results in very low temperatures and dry conditions (these areas are known as cold deserts as their annual precipiration is so low
Antarctica’s precipiration is only 166 mm each year). -The main regions in which this ecosystem exists are Antarctica and Greenland where temperatures can fall below -50 degrees Celsius.

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17
Q

Mediterranean

A
  • this ecosystem is situated between 40 and 45 degrees N of the equator in the Mediterranean region
  • there are also some isolated instances of this ecosystem south of the Equator in South Africa and Western Australia.
  • This ecosystem is characterised by hot, sunny and dry summers, with mild winters
  • this is due to the pressure belts migrating very slightly north and south during the year allowing warm air to circulate in this region.
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18
Q

Temperate grassland

A
  • Situated roughly 30-40 degrees N and South of the Equator, this ecosystem is found inland from coastal areas including vast areas in North America (the prairies) and Eastern Europe (the steppes).
  • These areas experience warm, dry summers and cold winters.
  • The dominant vegetation in this ecosystem-grass- is able to to tolerate these climactic conditions and so can thrive despite the seasonal extremes
  • This land is mainly used for grazing animals
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19
Q

Savanna

A
  • Located between 15 degrees and 30 degrees N and S of the Equator, this ecosystem experiences a tropical climate characterised by distinct wet and dry seasons.
  • The dry season can be very hot, leading to the break out of wild fires.
  • Violent thunderstorms and torrential rain can occur during the wet season
  • Large herds of animals graze on these grasslands, along with predators such as lions and leopards which capitalise on the tall grasses that dominate the ecosystem.
  • Precipitation varies from 500 mm to 1300 mm in the dry and wet seasons.
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20
Q

Physical characteristics of hot deserts

A
  • A desert is an area that receives less than 250 mm of rainfall per year
  • At these latitudes, air that has risen at the equator descends forming a persistent belt of high pressure. Therefore there is a lack of cloud and rain and very high daytime temperatures and it also explains why temperatures can plummet to below freezing at night during the winter (due to lack of cloud cover).
  • desert soils tend to be sandy/stony, with little organic matter due to the general lack of leafy vegetation. They are dry but can soak up water rapidly after rainfall. Evaporation draws salts to the surface, often leaving a white powder on the ground. Desert soils are not very fertile.
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21
Q

Where are hot deserts distributed?

A

-large areas of desert are found in dry continental interiors, away from coasts, in a belt approximately 30 degrees North and 30 degrees South. There are some coastal deserts too, eg: the Atacama Desert in South America.

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22
Q

Adaptations of cactus

A
  • stores water and reduces water lost to the air though transpiration due to the waxy cuticle
  • downward pointing spines make it easier to direct water into depressions of the cactus
  • Stored water is protected with spines
  • spikes stop predators
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23
Q

Fennec fox

A
  • panting helps to regulate their temperature
  • large ears for hearing
  • heat-radiating ears
  • fur-covered feet
  • pale fur: good camouflage in sand
24
Q

Red Kangaroo

A
  • pants to cool down
  • licks chests-evaporation
  • buries underground to access cooler sand
  • hopping saves energy
25
Q

Adaptations of other plants

A
  • Plants like the Joshua tree have small knife-like leaves with a very small surface area, which means that less water is evaporated
  • Some plants have developed tap roots which can extend to thirty meters below the surface to draw water out of the water table.
26
Q

Saguaro cactus

A
  • seeds are covered with succulent,sweet fruit.
  • The seeds survive in the birds’ stomachs and as they excrete, it acts as fertiliser which helps to make a new cactus with rain.
27
Q

Dragon’s blood tree

A
  • They live on mountain tops where there is little soil
  • When occasional morning mists sweep across high ground, it condenses on the skyward pointing waxy leaves. Droplets run down to the centre of the trunk and down to its roots. Water is so precious that is cannot afford to waste any
  • The dew is not totally lost. The trees huge densely packed palm acts as a parasol and it shades the ground effectively, allowing time for water to seep into the ground and it also shades the network of roots under the surface.
28
Q

Desert rose

A

They are drought-tolerant, being able to conserve and store water. Adaptations include few stomata which are protected and found on the underside of leaves to reduce transpiration. Also, they have internal water storage, reducing the need to rely on regular rainfall. These sources can be in the trunk or root system.

29
Q

Desert holly and creosote bushes

A

Night and morning - face of leaves to light
Midday- edges to light so doesn’t heat up
The plant extracts salt and excretes it as a white coating which reflects heat and keeps it cooler.

creosote bush-widespread of plants in Amerian deserts. The roots are better at extracting the last molecule of water.

  • extensive root system extracted moisture from sand so efficiently that it was extremely difficult for any other plant to grow alongside it.
  • Individual creosote bushes spread out by stems and form rings.
30
Q

Lizards

A
  • virtually droughtproof because they can survive on far less food and water than mammals and birds
  • some have toes fringed with spiny scales that help them run acorss the sand without sinking.
  • others burrow into the sand to escape the desert’s intense heat, to hide from predators, or to search for small animals that they prey upon.
31
Q

Big-eared mammals- kangaroos

A
  • in the shade, they are shielded from most of the Sun’s energy but they are still hot
  • lick saliva onto forearms where there is a network of blood vessels close to the surface of the skin
  • As the saliva evaporates, the blood cools.
  • Kangaroos dig away warmed top soil to get to cooler ground beneath.
32
Q

Fennec foxes

A
  • use paws to dig out dens for families
  • sleep during the day so do not have to be in hot sun
  • If they have to go out, fur coat will protect them from sun and also provides camouflage-light beige
  • night-fur coat keeps them warm
  • also have heat radiating ears- blood circulating through the huge ears is cooled by the night air before going back into the body and cooling it down
  • nocturnal-active at night-cooler
  • large ears help fox lose excess heat and enable it to hear its prey from a long distance away.
33
Q

camels

A
  • uses long limbs and neck as radiators to get rid of heat without losing water
  • hardly sweats-sucks every drop of moisture out of food
  • allows core body temperature to reach up to 6 degrees higher than normal- it would kill a human
  • camels expend water in faeces.
  • Large flat feet to spread their weight on the sand
  • thick fur on top of the body for shade and thin fur elsewhere to allow easy heat loss.
34
Q

What is an example of a local small-scale ecosytem?

A

A pond, hedgerow or woodland

35
Q

What is an example of a global-scale ecosytem?

A

A tropical rainforest or deciduous woodland

36
Q

What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

A

A food web shows feeding relationships within the whole ecosystem
Food chain- shows one chain from top to bottom

37
Q

Describe a freshwater pond ecosystem

A

Pond margin- plenty of oxygen and light here. Plenty of shelter for the plants and insects, for small animals to eat.
Pond surface- plenty of oxygen and light here. Animals breathe through their lungs, skin or gills
Above the pond surface- birds and animals breathe oxygen. Food is found in or on the water, or in the margins.
Mid-water- animals breathe through gills or skin. Fish are main predators. Food is found on the surface or in the pond.
Pond bottom- little oxygen or light. Plenty of shelter (rotting plants and stones) and food. Decomposers and scavengers live there.

38
Q

What causes change to ecosystems?

A
  • global-scale changes like climate change

- local-scale changes, such as changes to a habitat- eg: when a hedge is removed

39
Q

Natural changes

A
  • ecosystems can adapt to slow natural changes with few harmful effects
  • rapid changes can have serious impacts
  • extreme weather events like droughts can be devastating to ponds and lakes
  • they could dry up in places, which changes the edge-of-pond environment
  • plants will dry out and die
  • fish, starved of oxygen, might not survive.
40
Q

impact of some human changes on small-scale ecosystems

A
  • woods cut down, destroying habitats for birds and affecting the nutrient cycle
  • hedgerows removed to increase size of fields. Habitats will be destroyed altering the plant/ animal balance
  • Many farmers are trying to keep ecosystems in balance by using less fertiliser. Some have planted hedgerows and grass margins to protect wildlife like bees, insects and wildflowers
  • ponds may be drained to use for farming. Aquatic plants will die, as will fish and other pond life
  • Agricultural fertilisers can lead to eutrophication; nitrates increase growth of algae, depleting oxygen and fish may die.
41
Q

Mini Case study: Avington Park lake, Winchester, Hampshire

A
  • of historical and ecological importance
  • lack of maintenance in recent years resulted in the accumulation of silt and the growth of vegetation
  • created an excellent habitat for birds, but the impressive view of the lake from the house had been lost so they tried to restore the lake as part of the landscape, and to preserve and improve its function as a habitat for birds in 2014
  • restoration involved desilting and redefining the lake and creating new waterside habitats to attract nesting birds and waterfowl
  • following its restoration, the lake has become a healthy ecosystem for a diverse range of wildlife.
42
Q

What are nutrients?

A

chemical elements that all plants and animals require

43
Q

How are biomes mainly defined?

A

By one dominant type of vegetation

44
Q

Where are tropical rainforests found?

A
  • they are located mostly a few degrees either side of the equator between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn in the equatorial climate
45
Q

What are the distinctive characteristics of rainforests?

A
  • rainforests are hot and humid all year, with high, but variable rainfall. There are no distinct seasons
  • remarkable biodiversity. supporting more plants and animals than in any other biome
  • tropical rainforests are perfectly adapted to their environment, with distinctive vertical stratification of decidous trees and climbing plants, forming a dense canopy all competing for light
  • soils (latosols) are iron-rich but infertile due to rapid nutrient cycling
  • once tropical rainforests are cleared, soils are prone to rapid leaching where minerals are lost in solution
  • small changes, such as deforestation or water pollution, can have serious knock-on effects on the entire ecosystem.
46
Q

Lower tree Canopy in the tropical rainforest

A
  • 10-20 m
  • Shaded, less substantial trees waiting to take advantage of the next available light space
  • interlocking spindly branches and climbing woody creepers (lianas) form green corridors along which lightweight animals can travel.
47
Q

Shrub and ground layer- tropical rainforest

A
  • 0-10 m
  • limited to ferns, woody plants and younger trees due to lack of light
  • bacteria and fungi rapidly rot the fallen leaves, dead plants and animals
  • thick buttress roots help to spread the weight of the towering trees above
48
Q

Soils (latosols) in the tropical rainforest

A
  • cycle nutrients rapidly to support new growth

- if the rainforest is cleared they become exposed to excessive leaching and are quickly exhausted of stored nutrients

49
Q

Middle canopy of tropical rainforest (20-35 m)

A
  • the most productive layer as each mushroom-shaped crown has an enormous photosynthetic surface of dark, leathery leaves
  • drip tips help them to shed water quickly and efficiently.
50
Q

Top canopy of tropical rainforest (35-50m)

A
  • Hardy exposed emergent trees with straight branchless trunks receive the most light
51
Q

What is a desert?

A

An area that receives less than 250mm of rainfall per year

52
Q

Where are hot deserts found?

A
  • They are found in a belt approximately 30 degrees North and 30 degrees South.
53
Q

Where can tropical rainforests be found?

A

Main:

  • South America
  • Central Africa
  • South East Asia
54
Q

Where can tropical rainforests be found?

A

Main:

  • South America
  • Central Africa
  • South East Asia
55
Q

What are the soils like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • they are red beccause of their high iron content
  • infertile
  • nutrients are near the surface
56
Q

Plants and animals in tropical rainforests

A
  • biodiverse

- all are well adapted to the environment

57
Q

climate in tropical rainforests

A
  • rain does not stay extremely high all year round
  • it rains
  • there is a dry season and a wet season (June, July, August)
  • humid
  • little temperature variation

Geography (20 decks)

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