Living World Key Terms

Question 1

Ecosystem

Answer 1

A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment.

Question 2

Producer

Answer 2

Converts energy from the environment (usually the sun) into sugars, e.g. plants

Question 3

Consumer

Answer 3

Consumers get energy from the sugars produced by the producers, e.g. a snail

Question 4

Decomposer

Answer 4

Break down plant and animal material and return nutrients to the soil

Question 5

Food Chain

Answer 5

Shows the direct links between producers and consumers in the form of a simple line.

Question 6

Food Web

Answer 6

Shows all the connections between producers and consumers in a more complex way

Question 7

Nutrient Cycling

Answer 7

When plants and animals die, the decomposers help to recycle the nutrients back into the soil for animals and plants to use again

Question 8

Biome

Answer 8

Large scale ecosystem e.g. desert or rainforest

Question 9

Biodiversity

Answer 9

The variety and range of living things in an ecosystem

Question 10

Adaptation

Answer 10

The changes made by plants and animals in order to cope with certain envirnmental conditions

Question 11

Deforestation

Answer 11

The cutting down of trees, usually on a very large scale

Question 12

Selective Logging

Answer 12

Tree felling which only removes fully grown trees, young trees and those with important eclogoical value are left

Question 13

Subsistence Farming

Answer 13

Farming on a small scale that allows people to produce food to feed their families and maybe generate a small income

Question 14

Commercial Farming

Answer 14

Farming undertaken on a large scale by businesses with the sole purpose of making money

Question 15

Soil Erosion

Answer 15

Removal of soil by wind and rain.

Question 16

Infrastructure

Answer 16

Basic equipment and structures (roads,rail, water supply etc.) that are needed for a region to function properly

Question 17

Sustainable

Answer 17

Actions that meet the needs of the present without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Question 18

Clear Felling

Answer 18

All trees in an area are chopped down and cleared leading to total destruction of habitats.

Question 19

Ecotourism

Answer 19

Tourism which aims to educate people about the natural environment and protect it for the future.

Question 20

International Agreements

Answer 20

Agreements made between groups of countries to help solve an issue e.g. protecting rainforests

Question 21

Hot Desert

Answer 21

An area that recieves low rainfall, less than 250mm per year, and also has high average temperatures

Question 22

Desertification

Answer 22

The process by which land becomes drier and degraded as a result of climate change, human actions or both

Question 23

Overgrazing

Answer 23

Where land has been grazed too much by livestock leaving it bare.

Question 24

Over cultivation

Answer 24

Using the land too much for farming crops leads to the soil becoming exhausted.

Question 25

Irrigation

Answer 25

Water is diverted from other sources to be used for watering crops

Question 26

Appropriate technology

Answer 26

Using methods and materials that are suitable for their level of development

Question 27

Salinisation

Answer 27

A build up of salts on the surface killing plants and leading to infertile soil