P1B Living world Flashcards
define ecosystem
a community of plants/animals (biotic factors) that interact with each other and their physical environment (abiotic factors)
describe the location of rainforest biomes
on/around the equator, between the tropics, across the globe, largest Amazon in south america
describe the conditions of rainforest biomes
- hot/wet/humid climate all year
- greatest biodiversity+productivity due to greatest biomass
- high rainfall all year
- due to Hadley cell circulation forming warm/moist air around the equator
describe reasons why there are high levels of biodiversity in rainforests (4)
- high temp/humidity - plants grow quickly
- lots of sunlight+rain - plants can grow well due to faster rate of photosynthesis
- large areas of rainforest left untouched by humans - variety of nature can thrive
- canopy structure - many habitats for plants/animals to grow/live
describe the location of desert biomes
near tropics 30 degrees N+S of equator, across the globe, largest is Sahara in north africa
describe the conditions of desert biomes
- hot/dry climate in day, cold at night
- thin/sandy soil
- very low rainfall
- lack of plants+species, few adapted to drought
describe food webs
a network of food chains (plants+animals) relying on each other for food
describe the hierarchy of a food chain (4)
producer (gets energy from sun by photosynthesis)
-> decomposer/primary consumer
-> secondary consumer
-> tertiary consumer/apex predator
describe the structure of a rainforest (5)
- emergents: leaves have drip tips to shed heavy rain
- upper canopy: tall/thin trunks to reach sunlight, woody vines (lianas) climb to reach sunlight
- lower canopy/ understory: dense vegetation
- shrub layer/ forest floor: buttress roots support trees, litter layer of decaying vegetation
- shallow soil
describe the condition of rainforest soil
- low in nutrients, infertile
- due to leached soil by heavy rainfall + abundance of vegetation (high competition)
- deforestation further leaches the soil due to less interception/ surface storage
state rainforest plant adaptations (5)
- emergents have no branches - conserves energy needed to grow upwards for sunlight
- buttress roots - wide+triangular to stabilise tall/thin trees
- tree leaves - drip tips drain excess water during heavy rainfall, large surface area to absorb maximum amount of light for photosynthesis, waxy upper layer reduces water absorption
- pitcher plants - traps insects in sticky water inside to digest nutrients, source of food as leached soil lacks nutrients
- epiphytes - plants that grow on surface of another plant + gets nutrients from air+rain, don’t use much energy to grow upwards, benefit from lots of sunlight
state rainforest animal adaptations (5)
- tail - assists with climbing+ balance (spider monkey)
- large eyes - help vision in dense/dark lower canopy (tarsiers)
- strong/long claws - help grip branches (toucan)
- long/strong limbs - assist with climbing (spider monkey)
- camouflage - hiding from predators or sneak up on prey (frogs)
state the causes of deforestation (7)
- LOGGING: timber for homes/furniture or pulp for paper, either selective logging (cutting most valuable/minimum required amount) or clear-cutting/felling
- MINERAL EXTRACTION: forests cleared for open-cast mines, minerals found underneath Amazon rainforest eg. iron/ gold/ bauxite
- (HEP) ENERGY DEVELOPMENT large areas of forest flooded for dams/reservoirs, displaces people+animals, dams have a short life as become blocked with soil washed by heavy rain, eg. Jirau dam on Madeira river Brazil
- COMMERCIAL CATTLE FARMING: causes 80% deforestation + responsible for 340million tonnes carbon release, land has a short life as pasture quality declines quickly so more land is cleared
- COMMERCIAL CROP FARMING: forest cleared for palm oil/ soy plantations, due to high demand for resources, soil won’t sustain crops for long so more land cleared, eg. sugar cane used for biofuel / palm oil farmed in Indonesia
- ROAD BUILDING: built to bring in equipment+ bring products out, opens up dense parts of forests for development, many roads unusable during wettest parts of the yr unless paved, eg. Trans-Amazonian Highway
- SETTLEMENT/ POPULATION GROWTH: housing for forest workers, families need homes+ services+ jobs, eg. Parauapebas Brazil- iron ore mining town
state local impacts of deforestation (5)
- DECLINE OF INDIGENOUS TRIBES: forced out of forest by road building/ logging/ plantations/ farms/ opening of mines, struggle to adjust from traditional living to modern towns, loss of forest knowledge of medicinal species
- SOIL EROSION: exposed topsoil removed by heavy rainfall, soil loses fertility so plants struggle to grow, so pastures/plantations abandoned due to low fertility so more areas cleared
- RIVER POLLUTION: mercury used in gold mining pollutes rivers, poisons fish habitats+ human drinking water in nearby towns, soil also pollutes rivers when washed away
- LOCAL CLIMATE CHANGE: disrupts water cycle (less transpiration as trees removed), lack of moisture so drier climate, water isn’t being recycled so hotter climate, bad conditions for agriculture
- CONFLICT: between indigenous people+ loggers, between developers+ conservationists
state global impacts of deforestation (2)
- GLOBAL WARMING: less trees absorbing CO2, carbon released when wood burned, contributes to greenhouse effect+ climate change, responsible for 20% of global warming emissions
- LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY: species endangered or extinct, loss of medicines/cures to diseases
state positive impacts of deforestation (4)
- EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: felling/ mining/ farming/ road building
- BUILDING MATERIALS: timber
- FOOD: native food crops eg. fruit/nuts
- FARMLAND: crops/cattle
state ways to manage rainforests sustainably at an international level (3)
- SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY TREATIES: restricts hardwood (mahogany/teak) trade from rainforests, eg. FSC/ Tropical Timber Agreement 2006, banning illegal logging
- DEBT REDUCTION/DEBT FOR NATURE SWAP: countries borrow money from HICs to fund development in exchange for agreement of conservation, eg. USA gave Brazil £13.5m for Amazon protection
- CONSERVATION/EDUCATION BY NGOs: buy threatened areas to create nature reserves, promote conservation through education in schools/training, eg. Rainforest Alliance ensure source of products (bananas/chocolate) is managed sustainably
state ways to manage rainforests sustainably at a local level (3)
- SELECTIVE LOGGING+REPLANTING: replanting cleared areas with seedlings of the same specie to protect biodiversity, protects soil from being exposed-> being leached/washed away, eg. Selective Management Scheme Malaysia 1997- selective logging of mature trees over 40yr cycle ensures trees can restore themselves+ carry on growing
- ECOTOURISM: generates income for local people/government, protecting trees for sightseeing rather than felling for short-term profit, creates local jobs (Costa Rica/Malaysia)
- LOCAL CONSERVATION/EDUCATION: area preserved as national parks/nature reserves, areas used for education+ scientific research
state goods provided by rainforests (6)
- native food crops (fruit/nuts)
- meat/fish
- building materials (timber)
- energy from HEP
- water
- medicines
state services provided by rainforests (6)
- air purification (trees absorb CO2)
- water+ nutrient recycling
- protection against soil erosion
- wildlife habitats
- biodiversity
- employment
describe the population distribution of Alaska
- most live in main cities: Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau (capital)
- north is sparsely populated- colder and more remote
- most live around Pacific ocean- no permafrost so milder waters, good fishing+ easier boat travel
describe the climate and conditions of Barrow, Alaska
- extremely cold, very little rainfall, dry winds, very cold winters, annual temp -26 to 12 C
- soil poor in nutrients, permafrost, low biodiversity, sparsely populated
describe conditional issues tundra plants face and adaptations (4)
- permafrost- shallow roots in active layer
- poor drainage (due to permafrost+ active layer melting during summer)- bog-loving plants eg. mosses/lichens
- low insolation/ weak sun and a short growing season w 24hr sun- plants grow+reproduce rapidly
- strong winds- ground-hugging plants, short in height, woolly plants trap warmth
describe tundra plants and their adaptations (2)
- ARCTIC WILLOW: shallow roots to avoid permafrost, short in height, branches creep over ground (ground-hugging) to trap warmth
- ARCTIC POPPY: tiny leaves limit transpiration as lack of water, grows+reproduces rapidly in short growing season, tiny black hairs absorb sunlight
describe a polar bear’s adaptations (7)
- small furry ears+ short tail+ short muzzle reduce heat loss
- thick body fat/ blubber (10cm)- insulation, energy source when food sources depleted, buoyancy when swimming+ avoids using energy to keep their head out of water
- carnivores w/ high fat diet- energy
- large paws spread weight over unstable ice/snow
- thick fur on paw pads to insulate+ for grip
- dig dens in snow to provide insulation in extreme cold
- clear fur (reflects light)- camouflage+ hiding in plain sight in snow
state Alaska’s development opportunities (4)
- FISHING INDUSTRY: cold coastal waters have good fish stocks, fish provide food/oil/resources for natives
- MINERAL EXTRACTION: gold/silver/iron/copper, valuable minerals under tundra
- TOURISM: seasonal visitors for hiking/ skiing/ sight-seeing, 1.93 million visitors in 2019
- ENERGY: fossil fuels, eg. Prudhoe Bay oil fields, previously glaciated valleys now used for HEP plants, geothermal harnessed from tectonically active sites
state challenges to development in Alaska (2)
- solifluction: when active layer melts the soil becomes lubricated+ causes a mudslide, uneven ground causes collapse
- permafrost melting: active layer melts deeper old foundations of buildings are left unsupported and sink
state ways of protecting infrastructure in Alaska (6)
- utilities carried by pipes (utilidors) rather than underground so it doesn’t freeze
- deep foundations into permafrost to stabilise
- jack up one side of a building to keep it level
- don’t allow water under the building so it doesn’t freeze+expand
- triple-glazed windows+ double insulated walls/roofs to retain heat
- steep-sided roofs so snow doesn’t collect+ cause collapse
state challenges to oil production in Alaska (8)
- extreme cold (-40C in winter)
- unpleasant working conditions
- frozen ground difficult to build on
- sources far from oil markets
- isolated location
- ground snow covers for up to half the yr
- causes permafrost to melt
- tectonically active area
state challenges when creating the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline (
- surface thawing+ movement in summer (due to metal expansion)- causes pipe to buckle/collapse
- high snowfall- causes collapse
describe attempted solutions used when creating the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline to solve challenges in the tundra environment (6)
- pipeline built on stilts: reduce melting of permafrost, allow animal migration underneath
- teflon sliders: allow movement during earth tremors+ when the metal expands/buckles in summer
- deep foundations into active layer: stability
- refrigeration units underground: regulate temperature underground so permafrost doesn’t melt
- pipeline insulated: reduce heat energy transfer to surroundings which melts permafrost
- suspension bridges: carry pipeline across rivers to reach trading ports
describe benefits of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline (4)
- Alaska Permanent Fund: interest from oil profits paid to every resident (up to $2000/yr) to help with living in a remote state
- provides jobs (100,000): contributes to a third of state earnings
- education healthcare: paid by taxes from oil industry
- doesn’t interfere with caribou migration (as it is raised above ground)
state what happened and what was done after the Exxon Valdez oil spill 1989
- Exxon spent $2billion+ fined $5billion
- local fishermen hired to clean up oil
- oil remained on rocks for 20-30yrs,
- oil spread quickly over Prince William Sound due to offshore wind+ few oil booms available
describe environmental pros+cons of the pipeline and Exxon Valdez oil spill (6)
/ moisture in tundra home for mosquitos/insects- food for migrating birds
X tundra vegetation damaged by construction- slow regeneration
X pipeline crosses caribou migration- affects feeding+ breeding patterns
X underground pipeline thaws ground- permafrost melts, causes unsuitable vegetation growing conditions
OIL SPILL
X spilled oil can become trapped in ice- remains there until spring, poisons wildlife+ plants cannot grow
X poisons oceans-> wildlife- pod of orcas lost 15 of 22 members, haven’t produced a calf since
describe economic pros+cons of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline (
/ oil industry supports third of all Alaska jobs
X overproduction of oil across globe- price of oil has fallen- Alaska lost $2.7b in oil profits 2016
X people moving to renewable energy- oil revenue decrease in past 10yrs
describe social pros+cons of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline (3)
/ taxes from oil industry provide schools/ airports/ roads/ landfills/ healthcare/ powered homes for families- better quality of life
X noise from oil exploration could force bowhead whales further offshore which becomes dangerous for whalers
X area is home to Alaska native villages which are destroyed
describe political pros+cons of the Exxon Valdez oil spill/ pipeline (2)
/ reduces America’s dependence on foreign oil
/ Alaska has no state sales tax or income tax- relies on oil revenue to pay for services (state troopers/ roads)
describe the main points of the Antarctic Treaty (6)
- demilitarised zone
- nuclear free
- used for collaborative science only
- territorial claims are permanently suspended
- free exchange of info
- any UN member may sign up
