Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

geography - natural hazards + living world > living world > Flashcards

living world Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards World Geography flashcards
1
Q

what is an ecosystem?

A
  • all the biotic (living) parts and the abiotic parts of an area
  • organisms in ecosystems can be classed as producers, consumers or decomposers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

what is a producer?

A

uses sunlight energy to produce food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is a consumer?

A

gets its energy by eating other organisms - can eat producers or other consumers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is a decomposer?

A

an organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead material and dead consumers - bacteria and fungi are decomposers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what is the nutrient cycle?

A

shows how nutrients move through an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what are the steps of the nutrient cycle?

A
  • when dead material decomposes, nutrients are released into the soil
  • the nutrients are then taken up from the soil by plants - the plants may be eaten by consumers
  • when the plants or consumers die - the nutrients are returned to the soil
  • this transfer of nutrients is called nutrient cycling
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

what is a food chain?

A

shows what eats what

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what is a food web?

A

shows lots of food chains and how they overlap

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how is every component in an ecosystem important?

A
  • each part of an ecosystem depends on other parts

- if one part changes it affects all the other parts that depend on it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

what is an example of a small-scale ecosystem?

A
  • freshwater pond at Mosely bog
  • the area is a mixture of woodland and bog - bogs tend to have rich biodiversity
  • producers in its freshwater pond include pondweed and algae
  • consumers - buzzards, frogs, minnows, waterboatmen and snails
  • decomposers include bacteria, water worms and rat-tailed maggots
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

what is a biome?

A

large scale global ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: tundra?

A
  • found at high latitudes (above 60° N)
  • winters are very cold
  • summers very brief
  • little rainfall
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: tropical rainforests?

A
  • located between 23.5° N and 23.5° S of the equator; where hot + wet all year round °
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: tropical grassland (savannah)?

A
  • distinct dry + wet seasons

- but rainfall relatively low

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: temperate deciduous forest?

A
  • summers warm
  • winters fairly mild
  • rainfall all year round
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: hot deserts?

A
  • found between 15-35° north and south of the equator
  • little rainfall
  • very hot during day + cold at night
17
Q

what are the characteristics of biomes: polar?

A
  • located around north pole (arctic) and south pole (Antarctica)
  • very cold, icy + dry as cold air sinks at the poles
  • temperatures can fall below -50° C
18
Q

what is the climate like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • the climate is the same all year round - no definite seasons
  • hot - temp generally 20-28° C - because sun’s energy more intense near equator
  • rainfall high - around 2000mm per year - rains every day
19
Q

what is soil like in tropical rainforests?

A

soil isn’t very fertile - heavy rain washes nutrients away

20
Q

what are plants like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • most trees are evergreen to help them take advantage of the continual growing season
  • many trees are really tall and the vegetation cover is dense - very little light reaches the forest floor
  • there are lots of epiphytes
21
Q

what are animals like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • rainforest ecosystems believed to contain more animal species than any other ecosystem
  • gorillas, jaguars, anacondas, tree frogs and many more are found here. also many species of insects and bugs
22
Q

what are people like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • many indigenous people have adapted to life in the rainforests
  • they make a living by hunting and fishing, gathering nuts and berries, and growing vegetables in small garden plots
23
Q

what is biodiversity like in tropical rainforests?

A
  • rainforests have extremely high biodiversity
  • rainforests are stable and productive environments because climate is constant - hot + wet all the time - plants and animals don’t have to cope with changing conditions + always plenty to eat
  • many organisms have evolved to depend on just a few other species for survival - are specific to a particular habitat + food source
  • many species are also only found in a small area
24
Q

how is biodiversity in rainforests being threatened?

A

deforestation and uncontrolled development of rainforest likely to lead to the extinction of many species + loss of biodiversity

25
Q

how are rainforesrs interdependent ecosystems?

A
  • all parts of rainforest dependent on one another - if one changes everything else changes
  • warm + wet climate helps fungi and bacteria on forest floor decompose dead plant material rapidly - makes surface soil high in nutrients - meaning plants can grow easily
  • plants pass on their nutrients when eaten by animals - dense vegetation provides lots of food - animal populations high - helps nutrient cycle
  • many plants + animal species have formed symbiotic relationships
26
Q

how are humans interfering with interdependent ecosystems?

A
  • changes to one part of rainforest can have knock-on effects on whole ecosystem - ex deforestation
  • trees intercept + take up lots of water + release back into atmosphere providing moisture for further rainfall - reducing tree cover may increase risk of drought - affecting plants and animals in rainforest ecosystem
  • trees stabilise soil with roots and provide some nutrients when drop leaves - with fewer trees - soil less protection from heavy rainfall - few nutrients present wash away easily + plants struggle to grow
27
Q

how are plants adapted to physical conditions in tropical rainforestss?

A
  • trees compete for sunlight by growing tall
  • many trees - smooth bark - smooth surface helps runoff
  • large, stable buttress roots support the tall trees’ trunks
  • climbing plants - like lianas - use tree trunks to reach sunlight
  • plants have thick, waxy leaves with pointed drip-tips - encourages runoff so weight of water doesn’t damage plant - waxy coating helps to repel rain
28
Q

how are animals adapted?

A
  • some animals camouflaged
  • many animals spend entire lives high up in canopy - have strong limbs so can move around habitat quickly
  • some animals adapted to low light levels on forest floor - so can detect predators without seeing them
  • many animals nocturnal - feed at night when colder - helps them to save energy
  • suction cups help some animals climb
  • others have flaps of skin that helps them glide between trees
  • many animals can swim - helps them cross river channels
29
Q

what are the causes of deforestation in malaysia?

A
  • 𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Malaysia became the worlds largest exporter of tropical wood in 1980s
  • 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - deforestation for mines + roads - drilling for oil also started in Borneo
  • 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - government encouraged poor urban people to move to countryside - leadings to felling of 15,000 hectares of rainforest during late 1900s
  • 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 - Malaysia worlds largest exporter of palm oil - in 1970s large areas of rainforest were cleared for palm oil plantations
  • 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 - slash and burn - using fire to clear land for food - fires can grow out of control
30
Q

what are the impacts of deforestation in malaysia?

A
  • 𝐬𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 - tree roots kept the soil stable - when trees were removed - soil was easily eroded
  • 𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 - deforestation means less CO2 absorbed causing warming
  • 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 - can bring short-term economic gains :
  • jobs created in mining, farming + energy - tourism boosted with better transport
  • companies pay taxes - can be spent on improving public services like education
  • economic losses
  • water pollution + drier climate may cause water shortages
  • plants that could bring important medical benefits and profits could become extinct
31
Q

why are tropical rainforests valuable to people + the environment?

A
  • if species become extinct - harder to discover new medicines + develop new products
  • sustainable development can offer long-term economic benefits eg ecotourism
  • protecting rainforests may reduce greenhouse effect
  • some impacts of rainforest destruction could affect all countries - not just countries where it is happening
  • rainforests also help regulate climate + water cycle - without them risk of drought + flooding in certain areas can increase
32
Q

how can selective logging help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • only some trees felled
  • less damaging to forest than clearing whole area
  • canopy remains + soil isn’t exposed - allows forest to regenerate
33
Q

how can replanting help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • when new trees are planted to replace ones that are cut down
34
Q

how ecotourism help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • minimises damage to environment - only small number of visitors alowed in area at a time
  • benefits local people - provides them a source of income
35
Q

how can education help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • educating international community about impacts of deforestation can encourage people to buy products from sustainable sources
  • local people might damage rainforest without realising long-term effect of actions
  • teaching local people alternative ways to make money that dont damage environment - means wont be dependent on unsustainable options to make a living
36
Q

how can conservation help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • many countries have set up national parks + nature reserves within rainforests - in these areas damaging activities are restricted
  • but lack of funds can make difficult to police the restrictions
  • as result, some countries have set up funds which overseas govts + businesses can invest in
  • money can used to enforce restrictions + promote sustainable use of rainforests
37
Q

how can reducing debt help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • many tropical rainforests found in lower-income countries - which often borrow money from wealthier countries/ organisations
  • money must be paid back with interest - poorer countries log, farm + mine in rainforests to make money + pay back debt
  • reducing debt means countries don’t have to do this + rainforests can be conserved
  • conservation swap good solution - part of country’s debt paid off in exchange for a guarantee money will be spent on conservation
38
Q

how can international hardwood agreements help tropical rainforests be sustainably managed?

A
  • hardwood - general term for wood from certain tree species - the wood tends to be dense + hard, so often used to make furniture
  • high demand for hardwood from consumers in richer countries - hardwood trees becoming increasingly rare as more cut down
  • international agreements in place to try to prevent illegal logging + promote use of hardwood from sustainably managed forests

geography - natural hazards + living world (5 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions