Living World Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
The living and non-living components of an environment and the interrelationships that exist between them
What are biomes?
Global-scale ecosystems
What type of organisms are producers?
Organisms which obtain their energy from a primary source such as the sun
What type of an organism is a consumer?
An organism which obtains its energy by eating other organisms
What is the food chain?
A line of linkages between producers and consumers
What is a food web?
A diagram that shows the linkages between producers and consumers in an ecosystem
What type of organisms are scavengers?
Organisms which consume dead animals or plants
What type of organisms are decomposers?
Organisms such as bacteria that break down plant and animal material
What is nutrient cycling?
The recycling of nutrients between living organisms and the environment
What is a temperate deciduous forest?
Forests comprising broad-leaved trees such as oak that drop their leaves in the autumn
What is stratification in forests?
Layering of forests, particularly evident in temperate deciduous forests and tropical rainforests
Define a ‘tropical rainforest’
The natural vegetation found in the tropics, well suited to high temperatures and heavy rainfall associated with these latitudes
Describe the process of leaching
The dissolving and removal of nutrients from the soil, typically very effective in tropical rainforests due to the heavy rainfall
What does ‘arid’ mean?
Dry conditions typically associated with deserts
What are hot deserts?
Regions of the world with rainfall less than 250mm per year
What is pollarding?
Cutting off trees at about shoulder height to encourage new growth
Describe ‘sustainable management’
A management approach that conserves the environment for future generations to enjoy as it is today
What is primary (virgin) rainforest?
Rainforest that represents the natural vegetation in the region unaffected by the actions of people
What is deforestation?
The cutting down and removal of forest
What is clear felling?
Absolute clearance of all trees from an area
What is selective logging?
The cutting down of selected trees, leaving most of the forest intact
Describe the process of ‘slash and burn’
A form of subsistence farming practices in tropical rainforests involving selective felling of tree and clearance of land by burning to enable food crops to be planted
What is ecotourism?
Nature tourism usually involving small groups with minimal impact on the environment
What is meant be ‘debt relief’?
When developed countries clear the debts owed to them by poorer countries
What does the term ‘carbon sink’ mean?
Forests are carbon sinks because trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
What are NGOs?
Non-Governmental Organisations that collect money and distribute it to needy causes e.g. Oxfam
What are hunter-gatherers?
People who carry out a basic form of subsistence farming involving hunting animals and gathering fruit and nuts
What is commercial farming?
Farming with the intention of making a profit by selling crops and/or livestock
What is salinisation?
The depositing of solid salts on the ground surface following the evaporation of water
What is retirement migration?
The migration to an area for retirement
