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GCSE - Geography > ✅🟢Living World > Flashcards

✅🟢Living World Flashcards

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1
Q

Give an example of a small scale ecosystem in the UK

A

A pond

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2
Q

Whats a biotic factor

A

Living factor

Eg. Bacteria / plants / trees / animals / deck powers

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3
Q

What’s an abiotic factor?

A

Non-living factor

Eg. O2 levels / CO2 levels / light intensity / nutrients / soil pH / temperature

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4
Q

Ecosystem meaning

A

Community of plants / animals that interact with each other and their physical environment.

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5
Q

Producer meaning

A

An organism / plant that’s about to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis + make their own food (glucose) - bottom of the food chain

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6
Q

Primary Consumer meaning

A

Creature that eats plant matter to obtain energy

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7
Q

Secondary consumer meaning

A

organisms that eat primary consumers for energy.

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8
Q

Tertiary consumer meaning

A

an animal that obtains its nutrition by eating primary consumers and secondary consumers - usually the last on the food chain

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9
Q

Decomposed meaning

A

organism that breaks down dead organic material

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10
Q

Give a way energy is lost at each level in the food cahin

A

Respiration
Not all of the animal / plant can be digested (faeces)
Not all of the animal / plant is eaten (bones)

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11
Q

Explain the role of decomposers

A

Fungi + bacteria return nutrients by breaking down dead organisms / animal waste.
Allows for produces to keep growing as they require the nutrients that the fungi / bacteria breakdown

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12
Q

How much energy is obtained in each level

A

10%

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13
Q

Climate and soil Interdependence

A

Climate provides rain / dissolved nutrients

Soil releases O2 and N2 (part of the N2 and O2 cycle)

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14
Q

Soil and vegetation interdependence

A

Soil provides minerals + water

Vegetation provides nutrients when it’s been decomposed

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15
Q

Vegetation and climate Interdependence

A

Vegetation provides O2

Climate determines what type of vegetation can grow / if the vegetation will survive

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16
Q

Vegetation and animals Interdependence

A

Vegetation provides food / shelter

Animals provide fences which provides nutrients / seed dispersal

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17
Q

Animals and climate Interdependence

A

Climate determines what anima can live in that certain area / of the animal will survive

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18
Q

Tundra

A

Near south and north poles

Very few plants / animals survive here

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19
Q

Coniferous forest

A

Scandinavia / Russia / Canada

Evergreen thrive in this cool temperate climate

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20
Q

Temperate deciduous forest

A

Europe / USA

These trees lose their leaves every year and thrive in mild and wet conditions

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21
Q

Temperate grassland

A

Hungary / South Africa / Argentina

Grass / trees that thrive in a temperate continental climate of moderate rainfall / mild conditions

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22
Q

Evergreen hardwood (Mediterranean)

A

Mediterranean Sea / Perth + Melbourne in Australia

smaller trees

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23
Q

Deserts

A

Tropics of Cancer / Capricorn

Very hot and dry. Plants and animals are specially adapted to love in the harsh conditions

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24
Q

Tropical rainforest

A

Found near the equator

Climate is hot / humid. Many different plant / animal species can be found here

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25
Q

Savanna grass land

A

Central Africa / southern India / Northen Australia / central South America

Long grasses and a few scattered trees are found in these hot/dry conditions

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26
Q

Physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest - climate

A

Very wet with over 2,000 mm of rainfall per year.

Very warm with an average daily temperature of 28°C. The temperature never drops below 20°C and rarely exceeds 35°C.

The atmosphere is hot and humid.

The climate is consistent all year round. There are no seasons.

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27
Q

Physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest - soil

A

Most of the soil is not very fertile.

A thin layer of fertile soil is found at the surface where the dead leaves decompose.

Nutrient cycling is very rapid due to the humid conditions that help dead matter to decompose quickly. Bacteria and fungi also help to break down dead matter and return nutrients to the soil.

It is red in colour because it is rich in iron.

Due to heavy rainfall the nutrients are quickly washed out of the soil.

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28
Q

Physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest - plants / animals

A

The warm and very wet climate provides perfect conditions for plant growth.

The wide range of plant species supports many different animals, birds and insects.

Species have adapted to the conditions of the rainforest, eg trees and plants have shallow-reaching roots to absorb nutrients from the thin fertile layer in the soil.

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29
Q

Structure of a tropical rainforest

A 
Ground level 
Shrub layers
Under canopy 
Man canopy 
Emergent
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30
Q

Describe the ground level

A

contains less vegetation due to the dark, damp conditions, a thick layer of decomposing leaves and the buttress root of trees (roots grow sideways)

Soil quality is poor and any nutrients are recycled quickly

1 in 10million seeds grow to reach the top layer

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31
Q

Describe the shrub layer

A

dense and dark with small plants

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32
Q

Describe under canopy

A

contains younger trees and saplings competing for light in dark conditions

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33
Q

Describe main canopy

A

the ‘roof’ of the forest. Contains tall trees, climbing plants like vines and lianas,fruits and seeds / shields the understory from sunlight + weather

80% of rainforest life is found here

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34
Q

Describe emergent layer

A

contains the tallest trees emerging out of canopy

Very sunny - only the strongest / tallest pants reach this level
Plants here are normally evergreen meaning they don’t lose their leaves

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35
Q

Effects of deforestation

A

Reduces number of trees which causes loss in habitats
decreased transpiration - drier climate
decrease in O2 production - global warming

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36
Q

How’s a spider monkey adapted / where do they live

A

Central America / South America / North Mexico
Emergent layer

Able to hang with their tail (like an extra limb) so they’re able to reach out for food.
Tail helps them balance + move around forest faster
Hook like hands to help trap prey

37
Q

How’s a sloth adapted / where do they live?

A

Central / South America
Canopy layer

Curved feet to grab onto branched
Long limbs, arms longer than legs - grasping branches is easy for them
Long claws that hang to branches
Brown algae fur - camouflage
Move very slowly allowing them to stay unseen by predators

38
Q

How are buttress roots adapted to the rainforest?

A

Massive ridges to help support the base of the tall trees and help transport water

Large surface area aids gas exchange of O2 and CO2

39
Q

How are lianas adapted to live in rainforests?

A

Woody creepers rooted ti the ground but carried by trees into the canopy where they have leaves + flowers to maximise the sunlight they receive

40
Q

How are leaves with flexible bases adapted to live in rainforests?

A

Flexibility in their base helps leaves turn to face the sun

41
Q

What’s subsistence farming?

A

A type of agriculture produce food and materials for the benefit only of the farmer and his family

42
Q

What’s commercial farming?

A

Farming to sell produce for a profit to retailers or food processing companies

43
Q

What’s logging + effect on Amazon?

A

The business of cutting down trees and transporting the logs to sawmills

Timber from Amazon used to make homes / furniture - sometimes selective logging is used to do Thsi which is bad

44
Q

What’s the soil erosion effect?

A

Removal of top soil (most fertile + nutrient rich) faster than it can be replaced due to natural (water/wind action) animal, human activity

45
Q

What’s deforestation?

A

The chopping down and removal of trees to clear an area of forest

46
Q

What’s selective logging?

A

The cutting out of trees that are mature or inferior to encourage the grown of the repeating trees in a forest of wood

More sustainable than logging

47
Q

What’s mineral extraction + effect on Amazon?

A

The removal of solid mineral resources from the earth (ores eg. iron / diamonds / solid fuels)

Forests are cleared to make way for large mines, the Brazilian part of the Amazon has mines that extract iron,copper,gold etc.

48
Q

List some causes of deforestation

A 
Substance/commercial farming 
Logging 
Road building 
Mineral extraction 
Energy development 
Settlement 
Population growth
49
Q

List some impacts of deforestation

A

Economic development
Soil erosion
Contribution to climate change

50
Q

Amazon rainforest - climate change impact

A

Burning the forest releases greenhouse gasses like CO2 - that adds to global warming

Loss of trees prevents CO2 being absorbed

The Amazon also helps to drive the global atmospheric system. There is a lot of rainfall there and changes to the Amazon could disrupt the global system

51
Q

Amazon rainforest - economic development

A

Brazil has used the forests to develop their country.
It has many natural riches that can be exploited.

Brazil has huge foreign debt and lots of poor people to feed so they want to develop the forest - many Brazilians see deforestation as a way to help develop their country + improve peoples standard of living

52
Q

Amazon rainforest - soil erosion

A

Amazon soils aren’t fertile and are quickly exhausted once forest is cleared. Farmers use artificial fertilisers when in the past the nutrient cycle would’ve done this naturally.

The lack of forest cover means that soils are exposed to rainfall - this washes huge amounts of soil into rivers in the process of soil erosion (water pollution)

53
Q

Values of Tropical rainforests

A

Biodiversity - rainforest contains 50% of plant / animal species

Trees take in CO2 / act as a carbon sink
Trees contribute to O2 content
Regulate climate

Maintains water cycle - trees transport

25% of medicines come from the rainforest
Provides resources

Stabilise landscape equilibrium

Indigenous tribes live in rainforests

54
Q

What’s sustainable use of the rainforest?

A

Sustainable uses of the rainforest are uses that allow current generations to make a living from the forest without Dana fungi the forest for future generations to use

55
Q

Management schemes in place to help rainforest (5)

A
  1. Clearing of intact rain forests is prohibited
  2. Sustainable management plan
  3. Sensitive forest area are to be preserves
  4. The rights of indigenous groups are to be protected
  5. Workers are assured of fair working conditions
56
Q

What’s debt reduction?

A

Countries are relieved of some of their debt in return for protecting their rainforests

57
Q

Debt reduction positives

A

Win,win for environment and poorer countries as they have a portion of their debt erased and the environment gets protected

58
Q

Debt reduction negatives

A

Not all poorer countries will oblige to the cause

If their debt is too big to be paid the deal is difficult to make

59
Q

What are international agreements?

A

International tropical timber agreement 2006.

Promotes trade in legal and sustainable managed forests

60
Q

National agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods positives

A

71 countries signed worldwide agreement

Looks at the entire system / supply chain / every level

FSC certificate given that acknowledges their efforts

61
Q

National agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods negatives

A

More complex on global scale as not everyone will listen

Depends on the consumers if they choose to buy well sourced items.

Cost of signing up / gaining certificate

62
Q

Selective logging and replanting explained

A

Controlling what you cut down - only cut down trees that have commercial value / are mature. This maintains large parts of the Forrest and every tree that’s cut down is accounted for.

They use directional felling
Tree census done

63
Q

Selective logging and replanting positives

A

Maintains health of soil.
Maintains habitat / shelter for wildlife + biodiversity.

Anyone who’s logging must be licensed + it’s a preside and controlled activity.

Only commercially viable trees chopped down

Directional felling used

64
Q

Selective logging and replanting negatives

A

When trees fall it could damage other wildlife even if directional felling is used.

Could be expensive to countries.

Needs lots of government officials to enforce it into the law.

Always get illegal loggers.

65
Q

What’s ecotourism?

A

Nature based tourism which conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people

66
Q

What’s conservation and education?

A

The protection, preservation, management or restoration of tropical rainforests and ecological communities that inhabit them.

Includes national parks.

67
Q

Hot desert characteristics - climate

A

30° N/S of the equator
Every content but Europe has them - they’re in dry continental interiors

Less than 250mm rain per year
No seasons
Temperature up to 50°C
Hot daysm cold nights

68
Q

Hot desert characteristic - soil

A

Low / No organic content just made up of pieces of rock and sand.

In Low lying areas waters only close to surface, it’s often saline (salty)

69
Q

Why does it get so cold in the desert at night?

A

Day - sand’s radiation of the sun’s energy heats the air and causes temperatures to soar.

Night - most of the heat in the sand quickly radiates into the air and there is no sunlight to reheat it, leaving the sand and its surroundings colder than before.

Also no clouds for insulation = cold nights

70
Q

Why do desert areas receive little rain?

A

As air approaches the tropics it sinks and warms up again, sinking air prevents cloud formation so there’s very little rain as it’s a high pressure zone.

Continental areas - air blows over land masses and becomes dry

Western side - colder ocean = less evaporation / rain

Rain shadow of mountains

71
Q

Sanguaro cactus adaptations

A

When it rains they collect water using their spines and horizontal roots, that water is then stored in the stem until the next set of rain comes

The spins prevent any animals from stealing any water from the stem as the spines would cause discomfort to any animal trying to eat the cactus

Spins instead of leaves reduce SA:V ratio - less water evaporation
Can lose up to 82% of its water before it dies because of dehydration

Lives up to 200 years - grows very slowly, fully grown they can be 18m and have lots of arms

Large fleshy stem to store water

Thick waxy skin to prevent water loss

Their stoma only open at night preventing transpiration (water loss)

72
Q

Camel adaptations

A

Long eyelashes / hairy ears / closing nostrils keep out sand

Thick eyebrows which stand out + shade eyes from sun

Wide feet - don’t sink into sand

Can go a week without drinking water / can drink gallons of water in 1 go

Can go moths without food - store fat in their humps

Body temperature can change to avoid losing water through sweat

Camouflaged well - brown coloured fur

Thick fur - warm at night

73
Q

Why do deserts have low biodiversity?

A

Because they have harsh living conditions that only certain plants / animals are able to adapt to and survive.

Increasing desertification; reduces biodiversity

Global warming makes desert environments more harsh - high temps

74
Q

Deserts - interdependence on leaves

A

Leaves provide shade - reduce air temps up to 20°C than in the udon so the soil stays cooler

Canopy of leaves intercepts rainfall and allow it to slowly drip into the ground - without this the raindrops would strike the soil + erode small soil particles

Roots of plant bind soil + prevent erosion

Plants prevent surface of soil being baked in the heat, without vegetation cover more moisture in the soil is drawn up + evaporates

75
Q

Thar desert development opportunities - energy

A

Coal - lots of coal deposits in part of thar desert, there also energy plant has been constructed

Oil - Barmer district discovered large oilfield which could transform local economy

Wind - Jaisalmer Wind Parl - India’s largest wind farm

Solar - sunny / cloudless skies, that desert offers ideal conditions for solar power generation

76
Q

Thar desert development opportunities - mineral extraction

A

Desert region has valuable reserves of minerals which are used all over India.

Gypsum - plaster for construction industry/ cement

Kaolin - whitener in paper

Feldspar - ceramic making

Phosphorite - fertiliser

Limestone / Marble - construction + steel industry

77
Q

Thar desert development opportunities - tourism

A

That desert has beautiful landscapes that’s popular with tourism’s.

Desert safaris on camels / desert festival help in winter

Local people benefit by providing food / accommodations / acting as guides / looking after camels

78
Q

Thar desert development opportunities - farming

A

Most people living in the desert are involved in subsistence farming.

Commercial farming has grown recently + has been made possible by irrigation, the construction of the Indira Ghanaian Cana, in 1958 has revolutionised farming. More crops can be grown in more areas

79
Q

What’s irrigation?

A

Artificial application of water to soil to aid crop production

Provides drinking water to locals / provided irrigation to crops+plants

80
Q

Thar desert development challenges - extreme temperatures

A

little humidity to block suns rays = daytime is very hot but at night temperature drops as there’s little cloud cover and no sunlight so the sand loses its heat very fast.

Heat creates stress in plants and crops
Hot = water evoirwtes = water shortages
Need for shelter for livestock

Farmers can’t work in very high temperatures during the day

81
Q

Thar desert development challenges - water supply

A

High rates of evaporation leas to water shortages which affect people/plants/animals

Large demands for water = low annual rainfall / store drinking water in natural and man made ponds

Salinisation - salty water

82
Q

Thar desert development challenges - inaccessibility

A

Restricted / limited - hard to move around desert land scape so there are little roads

Storing winds blow sands over buildings - reduce infrastructure stability

83
Q

Thar desert development challenges - soil erosion

A

Low rainfall + strong winds - soils blown away

Low organic matter / low minerals - easily eroded

Salinisation

Too much water - water logging

84
Q

Causes of desertification – climate change

A

Temperatures are hotter

Rainfall is less reliable / varies more

85
Q

Causes of desertification – population growth

A

Water table drops

Salinisation

Overgrazing

Demand for transport / farmland / water / fuel wood

86
Q

How does water and soil management prevent reduce the risk of desertification?

A

Jordan:

Local people have built low stone walls to stop water running down slopes after heavy rainfall

This water is used to irrigate newly planted shrubs that are well adapted to semi desert environments (Atriplex)

Atriplex hold together soil + provide grazing for sheep/ goats

As soil conditions improve, plants have started to grow which attracts birds and butterflies to the area

87
Q

How does tree planting prevent reduce the risk of desertification?

A

Thar desert:

Roots bind the soil together
Leaves and branches provide shade, grazing, fuelwood.

88
Q

How does appropriate technology prevent reduce the risk of desertification?

A

Many people living on the edge of deserts are poor. Appropriate technology must be cheap and able to be constructed out of materials that are readily available.

West Africa:
‘Magic stones’ used to reduce soil erosion, using basic tools in the truck to transport the stones, local people have built lodestone walls along the contours of slopes.
When rain washes down the hillside the walls trap the water and soil helping to Increase crops up to 50% / reduce desertification

GCSE - Geography (9 decks)

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