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Geography > Living World - Ecosystems and Tropical Rainforests > Flashcards

Living World - Ecosystems and Tropical Rainforests Flashcards

This is a compulsory topic. This deck of cards covers the start of the 'Living world' topic, covering Ecosystems and Tropical rainforests.

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1
Q

Define ‘ecosystem’

A

A natural system made up of plants and animals (biotic) that interact with non-living organisms such as soil, air and water (abiotic)

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2
Q

What is a producer?

A

An organism that uses the sun to produce energy. e.g. green plants

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3
Q

What is a consumer?

A

An organism that gets its energy by eating another organism i.e. it eats other producers or consumers.

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4
Q

What is a decomposer?

A

An organism that gets its energy from breaking down dead material (dead plants and animals). An example of a decomposer is bacteria and fungi

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5
Q

What is a food chain?

A

A food chain shows what eats what in an ecosystem.

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6
Q

What is a food web?

A

A food web is a series of food chains within an ecosystem and how they overlap. It shows the interconnections between producers and consumers in an ecosystem.

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7
Q

Describe a nutrient cycle in simple terms

A
  • When plants and animals die, they decompose into the soil.
  • They add nutrients back to the soil
  • These nutrients are then taken back up by plants
  • These plants may be eaten by consumers, therefore the nutrients are received by the consumer
  • The consumer eventually dies and nutrients are added back to the soil.
  • The cycle repeats
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8
Q

Name some changes that can impact an ecosystem

A
  1. Extreme weather - e.g. droughts
  2. Trimming hedgerows
  3. Draining ponds
  4. Deforestation
  5. Fertilizers used in farming
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9
Q

What is eutrophication and what causes it?

A

The use of fertilizers on farms leads to eutrophication.

  1. Nutrients from fertilizers end up in water systems
  2. Plants grow quickly because of the nutrients
  3. Algae grows quickly, using up oxygen in water
  4. Plants and animals in water then die due to lack of oxygen
  5. Decomposing animals use further oxygen
  6. Eventually no life possible
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10
Q

Give an example of how one change can impact an ecosystem

A
  • Higher temperatures and less rain = less plants grow = less food for consumers = consumer numbers fall
  • Vegetation removed = less habitats for animals = alters animal/vegetation balance in ecosystem
  • Deforestation = destorys birds habitats and alters nutrient cycle
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11
Q

Describe the characteristics of the tundra?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Location - high latitudes ~60°N
  • Cold temperatures
  • Little rainfall
  • Limited vegetation
  • Lots of permafrost
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12
Q

What determines the ecosystem found in a place?

A

Climate

Climate is influenced by: latitude, air pressure (high or low pressure) and winds.

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13
Q

Name the 8 main global ecosystems

A
  1. Hot desert
  2. Tropical rainforest
  3. Polar
  4. Tundra
  5. Temperature deciduous forest
  6. Tropical grassland (savanna)
  7. Temperate grassland
  8. Coniferous forest (taiga)
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14
Q

Describe the characteristics of tropical rainforests?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Found around equator
  • Hot temperatures (around 28°-30°c)
  • Wet all year around (average 2,000mm per year)
  • Lots of vegetation
  • Variety of animals
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15
Q

Describe the characteristics of hot deserts?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Location: 15° and 35° north and south of the equator
  • Very hot
  • Very dry
  • Sandy soil.
  • Some cacti
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16
Q

Describe the characteristics of deciduous forests?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A

*This the biome of the UK*

  • Location; ~40°-50° north of equator
  • Warm summers, cold winters
  • Leaves fall off during winter to retain moisture
  • Variety of woodland animals
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17
Q

Describe the characteristics of coniferous forests (taiga)?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Location:~50°-60° north of equator
  • Cool temperatures
  • High rainfall
  • Animals: Moose, reindeer, shrews
  • Plants: evergreen trees
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18
Q

Describe the characteristics of tropical grassland (savanna)?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Location: 15°-30° north and south of equator
  • Wet and dry seasons
  • Temperature: 20-30°c
  • Animals: lions, elephants
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19
Q

Describe the characteristics of tundra?

(location, climate, plants, animals?)

A
  • Location: 60°-70° north equator (lack of land in southern hemisphere for tundra to be here)
  • Cold (Max 10°c, min -50°c)
  • Dry (less than 380mm pear year)
  • Limited vegetation
  • Animals: caribou
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20
Q

Where are tropical rainforests located?

A

Generally around the equator - South America, South East Asia, Central Africa.

21
Q

Describe the climate in the tropical rainforest

A
  • Constantly high temperatures throughout the year (28-30°c)
  • High levels of rainfall (~2000mm per year)
22
Q

Why is it hot and wet in the tropical rainforest?

A
  • Hot temperatures: Toprical rainforests are found around the equator where the suns rays are most concentrated
  • High rainfall: low pressure cell means air can rise, creating lots of clouds
23
Q

Describe the soil in the tropical rainforest

A

Infertile. Very top layer of soil is where nutrients are. Due to high levels of rainfall, nutrients are washed away (leaching).

24
Q

Describe the plants and animal life in the tropical rainforest

A

Very diverse. Huge biodiversity. Range of plants, insects, reptiles, mammals and rodents.

25
Q

What does ‘biodiversity’ mean?

A

The variety of plants and animal species in a given location

26
Q

Give 3 examples of how the tropical rainforest is highly interdependent

A
  1. Climate is warm and wet which makes it ideal for decomposition of leaf litter, adding nutrients to the soil which sustains dense vegetation
  2. Plants are a vital source of animal food
  3. Loss of vegetation in rainforests has a knock on impact on food supplies, habitats, water interception and the atmosphere
27
Q

Name the four layers of the rainforest

A
  1. Shrub layer
  2. Lower canopy
  3. Upper canopy
  4. Emergent layer
28
Q

Identify some tropical rainforest plant adaptations

A
  1. Liana
  2. Buttress roots
  3. Epiphyte
  4. Drip tips
  5. Waxy leaves
29
Q

What is a buttress root?

A
  • Large tree roots that help stabilise the tree in the ground.
  • They also facilitate the exchange of oxygen and CO2.
30
Q

What is a liana?

A

Climbing vines that start life on the forest floor. They grow upwards, around trees to reach sunlight.

31
Q

What is an epiphyte?

A

Plants that grow on tree branches high in the canopy. They do not require soil to gain nutrients.

32
Q

What is a drip tip?

A

Leaves have adapted to deal with high levels of rainfall. The drip tip allows rainfall to run off the leaf surface.

33
Q

Describe how animals have adapted to the rainforest

A
  • Most animals live in the canopy so they have long limbs to help climb
  • Camouflage - many animals blend in with the colours of the forest floor
  • Many animals have good hearing as the forest floor is so dark.
  • Suction cups for climbing trees
  • Nocturnal - sleep at night to avoid heat of the day
  • Many can swim due to large amounts of rivers in the rainforest
34
Q

What is ‘deforestation’?

A

Removal of trees from the earth’s surface

35
Q

What are the main causes of deforestation in tropical rainforests?

A
  1. To make space for housing
  2. To mine
  3. Build dams to generate energy
  4. Farming / Cattle Ranching
  5. Road building
36
Q

What is happening to the rate of deforestation?

A

High but slowing down.

37
Q

Why has the rate of deforestation in Malaysia increased?

A
  • Malaysia now export large amounts of tropical wood
  • Oil mining developments in Borneo has led to the need for more roads
  • Dams have been developed to improve Malaysia’s energy supply
  • Farmers received 10 year tax incentives to set up palm oil plantations so more were developed.
38
Q

What are the effects of deforestation?

A
  1. Trees remove CO2 from the atmosphere so with less trees, there is more CO2 in the atmosphere.
  2. Soil is more exposed to rainfall which means valuable nutrients in the soil are washed away
  3. More landslides and flooding as a result of less roots holding soil together.
39
Q

What are the environmental impacts of deforestation in Malaysia?

A
  • Loss of soil due to increased soil erosion
  • Loss of biodiversity
  • Threat to large area of biodiversity in the ‘Main Range’
  • Contributing to climate change - warmer, drier temperatures
  • Increased pollution in rivers
  • Lower water supplies
  • Extinction of plants
40
Q

What are the economic impacts of deforestation in Malaysia? (+ and -)

A

+ Increased profit from mining

+ Development of more industries linked to mining, farming and energy

  • Tourism decreases

+ Increased energy provision

+ Improved infrastructure i.e. roads

  • Loss of valuable resources e.g. medicines
41
Q

Why do rainforests need protecting?

A
  1. ‘Green lungs of the earth’ - they provide a large proportion of the Earth’s oxygen
  2. They are home to many indigenous tribes
  3. Rainforest provide a wealth of important nature resources e.g. wood, fruits medicines
  4. Source of clean water
42
Q

List some strategies used to protect tropical rainforests

A
  1. Selective Logging
  2. Replanting trees
  3. Conservation/education
  4. Ecotourism
  5. International agreements
43
Q

How does ‘selective logging’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

A strategy used to protect tropical rainforests. Only the oldest or poor condition trees are removed meaning large amounts of trees are not removed, maintaining the forests structure.

-horse logging or helicopter logging are least damaging form.

44
Q

How does ‘replanting’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

Replanting trees when others are cut down means that trees are available in the future.

45
Q

How does ‘ecotourism’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

Ecotourism educates tourists about protecting the natural environment. It only allows a few visitors to an area at one time, encourages use of local tour guides so money stays in area and encourages reduction of litter and pollution.

21% of costa rica protected by this

(Socially, economically and environmentally sustainable)

46
Q

How do ‘international agreements’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

Hardwood is tree species that is dense and for furniture.

High demand mean it becomes rare

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an organisation that encourages manufacturers and consumers about building sustainable hardwood by marking products with a FSC logo.

47
Q

How does ‘education’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

Educating the global community about the impacts of unsustainable use of the rainforest encourages individuals to change their consumer habits (i.e. buying sustainable hardwood). It may also change the local communities strategies to make money without destroying the forest.

-showing alternative methods that do not damage

48
Q

How does ‘debt reduction’ protect the tropical rainforest?

A

Many tropical rainforests are found in LICs. By reducing debt, these countries are less likely to use the rainforest for economic gain.

Allow farming loggins and mining in rainforest to make money to pay debt but reducing debt means they don’t have to.

Eg:2008 USA reduced Peru debt by 25 million in exchange for rainforest conservation

Geography (7 decks)

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