Living world

Question 1

Define an ecosystem

Answer 1

a natural system in which life cycles of plants and animals are linked to each other and the non living environment

Question 2

Define a food chain

Answer 2

a series of organisms that each depend on the next source of food

Question 3

What is the order of the energy transfer?

Answer 3

non living environment - producers - consumers - decomposer

Question 4

Define a food web

Answer 4

many food chains linked together, it shows many more possibilities

Question 5

Define organic/biotic

Answer 5

living components of an eco system

Question 6

What is a producer?

Answer 6

They are always plants, they are at the beginning of a food chain and they produce the energy they get from the sun

Question 7

Define a decomposer

Answer 7

a plant or animal that breaks down dead matter

Question 8

Why does biomass decrease?

Answer 8

A lot of plants and animals aren’t eaten, they just die. Animals/ plants whilst living use up energy and this is returned to the environment.

Question 9

Describe the vegetation of a tropical rainforest

Answer 9

Lots of tall thin trees at different layers

Question 10

What is the global distribution of tropical rainforests?

Answer 10

They are along the equator between the tropic of cancer and capricorn

Question 11

Describe the climate of a rainforest

Answer 11

It is warm and wet averaging temperatures of 26-28 and 2500mm annually

Question 12

Name the layers of a rainforest

Answer 12

First- forest floor Second- Shrub Third- Understory Fourth- Canopy Fifth- Emergent

Question 13

What are lianas?

Answer 13

climbing plants and creepers

Question 14

What animals live in the canopy?

Answer 14

Monkeys and birds

Question 15

Describe emergent trees

Answer 15

They are 50m high and hardwood

Question 16

What are drip tips for?

Answer 16

They are pointed ends of leaves for water to run off of so they don’t damage the plant

Question 17

What does soil leaching do?

Answer 17

It is when there is heavy rainfall and it washes the nutrients of the soil

Question 18

Describe the adaptations and purpose of buttress roots, stilt roots, lianas, red leaves, drip tips and leaf angling

Answer 18

BUtress roots are large underground roots providing stability. Stilt roots provide stability and grow at the bottom of the tree. Lianas reach sunlight by climbing around other trees. Red leaves are young so red deflects sunlight prevrnting photosynthesis. Leaf angling prevents shading from its own leaves,

Question 19

What are the adaptations of toucans, sloths and ants?

Answer 19

Toucans have hard bone beaks to crush nuts, bright colours for camouflage and long beaks to reach fruit. Sloths have long claws for grip and long strong arms to hang from. Ants have extra sensitivity to detect poison and scissor like jaws to cut leaves.

Question 20

What are local impacts of deforestation?

Answer 20

Decline of indeginous tribes, soil erosion and fertility declines, more conflict, local climate change and river pollution

Question 21

Global impacts of deforestation

Answer 21

Global warming and loss of biodiversity

Question 22

What are the causes of deforestation?

Answer 22

Commercial farming, cattle ranching, logging, mineral extraction, population growth, road building

Question 23

Key facts of tropical rainforest

Answer 23

Produce 20% of the worlds oxygen, takes in CO2, home to 50% of the earth’s species, provides 120 prescription drugs.

Question 24

What goods does the rainforest produce?

Answer 24

Crops, meat and fish, builidng materials, hydroelectric power, water and medicine.

Question 25

What services does the rainforest produce?

Answer 25

Air purification, protection from soil erosion, habitats, biodiversity and employment.

Question 26

Define a desert

Answer 26

a landscape that recieves less than 250 mm a year.

Question 27

Describe the global distribution of a desert

Answer 27

Found a long the tropic of cancer and capricorn, the Sahara is in Northern Africa

Question 28

Characterisitics of desert soil are…

Answer 28

They are dry, sandy, salty, infertile.

Question 29

How is desert vegetation adapted?

Answer 29

Sparse, small, sperated, grow far apart, stores water, deep roots to reach underground water.

Question 30

Western Desert facts

Answer 30

Covers 200,000km squared, includes 5 states, low poulation and low carrying capacity (how many people an area can support)

Question 31

Development opportunities of the Western Desert

Answer 31

Farming, mineral extraction, energy (powers 100,000 homes) and tourism ( Coachella, parks, museums)

Question 32

Why is accessibility a challenge to development?

Answer 32

Lack of roads, travel is dangerous, many don’t make it bak as they get lost

Question 33

Why is lack of water a challenge to development?

Answer 33

Growing population, physical limit (not many rivers etc), high temperatures, political limit.

Question 34

How many hectares of farmland is Niger losing each year due to desertification?

Answer 34

250,000

Question 35

How do stone walls tackle desertification?

Answer 35

Stops rain from running over and causing surface run off as it is trapped and soil is infiltrated. It is simple and provides a job but is labour intensive.

Question 36

How does planting trees help prevent desertification?

Answer 36

Soil is stabilised with roots, fallen leaves add nutrients an example is the Great Green wall. It takes in CO2 and resolves conflict but takes a long time to grow.

Question 37

How do stoves help prevent desertification?

Answer 37

They mean a lot less wood is used so less trees are cut down. They are environmentally friendly but there is a complicated design.

Question 38

What are the causes of desertifictaion?

Answer 38

Population growth, overcultivation, overgrazing, soil ersosion.

Question 39

How has Darfur been affected by desertification?

Answer 39

The population has increased by 5.2 million, agriculture land use has increases and soil fertility has reduced.