Living World

Question 1

How much of the amazon rainforest has been deforested?

Answer 1

750,000km2

Question 2

Where is the amazon rainforest?

Answer 2

South America

Question 3

Causes of deforestation in the amazon rainforest?

Answer 3

65-70% commercial cattle farming
20-25% small scale subsistence farming
5-10% commercial farming
2-3% logging
1-2% other eg mining

Question 4

Economic impacts of deforestation in the amazon rainforest

Answer 4

+ 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

Question 5

Environmental impacts of deforestation in the amazon rainforest

Answer 5

• loss of biodiversity
• increase in Co2
• soil erosion = flooding
• decrease in soil fertility
• pollution

Question 6

Management strategies for the tropical rainforest

Answer 6

Selective logging and replanting, conservation and education, ecotourism and international agreements, debt reduction

Question 7

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 7

A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment (biotic and abiotic)

Question 8

Producers:

Answer 8

Concert energy from sunlight to produce food (create their own energy)

Question 9

Consumers:

Answer 9

Get energy from eating producers or other consumers

Question 10

Decomposers:

Answer 10

When dead material is decomposed, they release nutrients into the soil

Question 11

What is nutrient cycling?

Answer 11

When nutrients are transferred throughout the ecosystem.

Question 12

What are large scale global ecosystems?

Answer 12

Biomes

Question 13

What are the characteristics of a TROPICAL RAINFOREST and where are they distributed?

Answer 13

Temp: av= 27C
rainfall= 2000mm
close to equator

Question 14

hot desert

Answer 14

low rainfall = 250mm yr
high daytime temp
30 degrees N and S of equator

Question 15

tundra

Answer 15

low temp= can drop to -20
low rainfall
arctic circle = 60-70 degrees N

Question 16

TR

Answer 16

warm temp
heavy rainfall
infertile soil
dense vegetation

Question 17

how plants adapt to TR climate

Answer 17

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

Question 18

how animals adapt to TR climate

Answer 18

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

Question 19

biodiversity=

Answer 19

the variety of plant and animal species in an ecosystem

Question 20

TR facts

Answer 20

50% of species
28% of worlds oxygen
25% of medicines
sources of clean water

Question 21

characteristics of tundra and polar

Answer 21

cold - polar >-0, tundra<10
low rainfall
layer of permafrost
thin soil
few vegetation
few species of animals

Question 22

how do plants adapt to tundra/polar climate

Answer 22

become dormant in cold winters
low growing
hairy stems to insulate
thin waxy leaves to reduce water loss
shallow roots
short growing season

Question 23

how do animals adapt to polar/tundra climate

Answer 23

well insulated with thick fur and blubber
hibernate to conserve energy
white fur for camo
survive on limited food

Question 24

biodiversity in cold environments

Answer 24

low + fragile

=small changes= big impact

Question 25

where is alaska

Answer 25

west of Canada
northern part is in arctic circle
American state

Question 26

development opportunities in alaska

Answer 26

fishing
energy development
mineral extraction
tourism

Question 27

development challenges in alaska

Answer 27

extreme temps
accessibility
building infrastructure provision

Question 28

fishing in alaska

Answer 28

employs 10% of Alaskans
18500 jobs
$6 billion to state economy
BECAUSE:
3000 rivers
3 million lakes
10868km of coastline

Question 29

problems of fishing in alaska

Answer 29

seasonal

currently sustainable but becoming higher demand for fish globally

Question 30

energy development in alaska

Answer 30

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

Question 31

problems of energy development in alaska

Answer 31

valleys have to be flooded= destroyed ecosystems

oil spills

Question 32

mineral extraction in alaska

Answer 32

1/5 of alaskas mining wealth comes from gold

Question 33

problems of mineral extraction in alaska

Answer 33

toxic chemicals produced to process gold = can be leaked into ecosystems
environmental campaigns

Question 34

tourism in Alaska

Answer 34

attracts 1.2 million summer visitors
BECAUSE:
range of tourist activities eg whale watching

Question 35

problems of tourism in Alaska

Answer 35

seasonal
transport= co2
infrastructure has to be built
waste

Question 36

why is extreme temp a challenge in alaska

Answer 36

difficult to produce crops
living conditions= hard to adapt
difficult land to build on

Question 37

why is accessibility a problem in alaska

Answer 37

solifluction (top layer unfreezes and slips off hill)= cutting places off
makes transporting goods difficult
thermokarst (annual freezing and unfreezing)= difficult travel

Question 38

why is building infrastructure a problem in alska

Answer 38

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

Question 39

why should cold environments be protected

Answer 39

useful for research
vital for biodiversity
indigenous livelihood

Question 40

management techniques to protect cold environments

Answer 40

technology eg transalaskan pipeline
government action
international agreements eg the Antarctic treaty
conservation groups eg WWF