Living World Flashcards
How much of the amazon rainforest has been deforested?
750,000km2
Where is the amazon rainforest?
South America
Causes of deforestation in the amazon rainforest?
65-70% commercial cattle farming 20-25% small scale subsistence farming 5-10% commercial farming 2-3% logging 1-2% other eg mining
Economic impacts of deforestation in the amazon rainforest
+ creates jobs for locals eg 3100 in Peru mine
+ economic growth ($6.9 billion in 2008 from cattle in Brazil)
+ taxes paid to be used for improvements in services
+hydroelectric power is cheap and renewable
- destroys the livelihood of indigenous
Environmental impacts of deforestation in the amazon rainforest
- loss of biodiversity
- increase in Co2
- soil erosion = flooding
- decrease in soil fertility
- pollution
Management strategies for the tropical rainforest
Selective logging and replanting, conservation and education, ecotourism and international agreements, debt reduction
What is an ecosystem?
A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment (biotic and abiotic)
Producers:
Concert energy from sunlight to produce food (create their own energy)
Consumers:
Get energy from eating producers or other consumers
Decomposers:
When dead material is decomposed, they release nutrients into the soil
What is nutrient cycling?
When nutrients are transferred throughout the ecosystem.
What are large scale global ecosystems?
Biomes
What are the characteristics of a TROPICAL RAINFOREST and where are they distributed?
Temp: av= 27C
rainfall= 2000mm
close to equator
hot desert
low rainfall = 250mm yr
high daytime temp
30 degrees N and S of equator
tundra
low temp= can drop to -20
low rainfall
arctic circle = 60-70 degrees N
TR
warm temp
heavy rainfall
infertile soil
dense vegetation
how plants adapt to TR climate
tall to reach light drip tip, waxy so water drains thick buttress so trees stay steady wide root network to get nutrients form soil climbing plants using trees to get light
how animals adapt to TR climate
gripping tail to live in canopy
camouflage to hide in shrub layer
suction pads to grip onto trees
nocturnal to avoid the heat of the day
biodiversity=
the variety of plant and animal species in an ecosystem
TR facts
50% of species
28% of worlds oxygen
25% of medicines
sources of clean water
characteristics of tundra and polar
cold - polar >-0, tundra<10 low rainfall layer of permafrost thin soil few vegetation few species of animals
how do plants adapt to tundra/polar climate
become dormant in cold winters low growing hairy stems to insulate thin waxy leaves to reduce water loss shallow roots short growing season
how do animals adapt to polar/tundra climate
well insulated with thick fur and blubber
hibernate to conserve energy
white fur for camo
survive on limited food
biodiversity in cold environments
low + fragile
=small changes= big impact
where is alaska
west of Canada
northern part is in arctic circle
American state
development opportunities in alaska
fishing
energy development
mineral extraction
tourism
development challenges in alaska
extreme temps
accessibility
building infrastructure provision
fishing in alaska
employs 10% of Alaskans 18500 jobs $6 billion to state economy BECAUSE: 3000 rivers 3 million lakes 10868km of coastline
problems of fishing in alaska
seasonal
currently sustainable but becoming higher demand for fish globally
energy development in alaska
more than 50 hydroelectric plants geothermal energy now used lots employed by oil industry BECAUSE: valleys perfect for HEP generation coastline is in pacific ring of fire= geothermal
problems of energy development in alaska
valleys have to be flooded= destroyed ecosystems
oil spills
mineral extraction in alaska
1/5 of alaskas mining wealth comes from gold
problems of mineral extraction in alaska
toxic chemicals produced to process gold = can be leaked into ecosystems
environmental campaigns
tourism in Alaska
attracts 1.2 million summer visitors
BECAUSE:
range of tourist activities eg whale watching
problems of tourism in Alaska
seasonal
transport= co2
infrastructure has to be built
waste
why is extreme temp a challenge in alaska
difficult to produce crops
living conditions= hard to adapt
difficult land to build on
why is accessibility a problem in alaska
solifluction (top layer unfreezes and slips off hill)= cutting places off
makes transporting goods difficult
thermokarst (annual freezing and unfreezing)= difficult travel
why is building infrastructure a problem in alska
roads have to be built on gravel pads
water, sewerage and gas have to be built over ground
airport runways painted white to reflect sun
why should cold environments be protected
useful for research
vital for biodiversity
indigenous livelihood
management techniques to protect cold environments
technology eg transalaskan pipeline
government action
international agreements eg the Antarctic treaty
conservation groups eg WWF
