Paper 1 Section B - The Living World Flashcards
Alpine regions
Cold, mountainous regions with snowy conditions and warmer summers.
Biodiversity
A large variety of animal and plant life living in the same ecosystem.
Climate
The long term weather conditions of an area.
Environmental fragility
The concept of an ecosystem being so sensitive to change that even
small changes within the environment can have large and potentially destructive impacts.
Interdependence
The concept of multiple things depending on each other for survival.
Permafrost
Ground that is permanently frozen for at least two consecutive years.
Polar regions
Areas surrounding the poles (90°N and 90°S).
Soil
The upper layer of the Earth which is composed of organic matter and other materials.
Tundra regions
Areas at high latitudes, characterised by permafrost, low temperatures and short
growing seasons.
Wilderness
An area that is untouched by humans, and therefore remains unaffected by human
activity.
Abiotic components
Non-living environmental factors that have influence over the ecosystem
(e.g. climate, light exposure, soil type).
Biome
Also known as a global-scale ecosystem; a large, distinct region of the Earth with similar
climate, soil, plants and animals.
Biotic components
Living organisms that interact with the environment and other organisms
within an ecosystem.
Coniferous forest biome
A biome located at high latitudes, characterised by conifer trees and a
cold climate.
Consumers
Organisms that receive energy from consuming (i.e. eating) living organisms.
Decomposers
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into
the ecosystem.
Desert biome
A biome located around 30° north and south of the equator, characterised by
extremely low precipitation levels and extreme daily temperature fluctuation.
Ecosystem
A natural system in which a community of plants and animals interact with each other
and their physical environment.
Eutrophication
The growth of algae in a body of water due to excess nutrients, leading to the
depletion of oxygen in an aquatic ecosystem.
Food chain
A linear relationship showing the biotic interactions within an ecosystem, from a
producer to a final consumer.
Food web
A representation of the interactions between multiple producers and consumers within
a specific ecosystem, shown through a series of different food webs.
Mediterranean biome
A biome located 40-45° north of the equator (and in isolated spots south
of the equator), characterised by mild, moist winters and hot, dry summers.
Nutrient cycling
The transfer of nutrients through an ecosystem, from the decay of organic
material into the production and energy of living organisms.
Producers
Organisms that convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars
(glucose).
Savanna biome
A biome located around 15-30° north and south of the equator, characterised by
high temperatures, very dry summers and very wet winters.
Temperate deciduous forest biome
A biome located around 40-50° north and south of the
equator, characterised by deciduous trees (trees that shed their leaves) and moderate
precipitation.
Temperate grassland biome
A biome located in non-coastal areas around 30-40° north and
south of the equator, characterised by low precipitation and grasses as the major vegetation.
Tropical rainforest biome
A biome located near the equator, characterised by very high
precipitation and sustained warm temperatures.
Tundra biome
A biome located in the far northern hemisphere, characterised by very cold
conditions and permanently frozen soils.
Biodiversity
A large variety of animal and plant life living in the same ecosystem.
Buttress roots
Large, thick tree roots that grow above the ground in tropical rainforests.
Camouflage
An animal adaptation where animals purposefully look like their surroundings to
hide from predators.
Canopy
The layer of a tropical rainforest where the tops of trees touch, forming a dense area of
vegetation.
Carbon sink
Something that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits, causing a net loss of
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Cattle ranching
The rearing of cows on large areas of land, usually to produce meat to sell for a
profit.
Clear felling
A form of logging where all trees in an area are cut down.
Commercial farming
Agriculture that is intended to create surplus produce to sell for a profit.
Debt-for-nature swaps
Agreements where one country reduces the amount of debt owed by
another country in return for the owing country putting efforts into environmental conservation.
Decomposers
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrients back into
the ecosystem.
Drip-tip
An adaptation of a leaf where the end of the leaf is tapered, allowing rainwater to drip off.
Ecotourism
Tourism that aims to have reduced environmental impact and supports conservation
efforts, making it sustainable.
Epiphytes
Plants that live on the surface of other plants, receiving nutrients from these plants.
Hydroelectric power
Energy harnessed from the movement of water.
Interdependence
The concept of multiple things depending on each other for survival.
Latosol
An iron-rich, infertile soil found in tropical rainforests.
Leaching
A process in soils where minerals are washed away by water (usually rainfall).
Lianas
Woody vines found in tropical rainforests; their roots grow on the forest floor, but the vines
stretch high into the canopy.
Logging
The process of cutting down trees for wood.
Nutrient Cycling
The movement of nutrients between organic and inorganic components of an
ecosystem.
Plantations
Farms where crops are grown in large amounts with the intention to sell for a profit.
Selective logging
A form of logging where only certain trees are cut down to reduce the
environmental effects of logging.
Subsistence farming
Agriculture that is intended to produce only enough food for the farmer and
their family to eat.
Transmigration
A government scheme that aims to move people from overpopulated urban
areas to underpopulated rural areas.
Tropical rainforest
A warm, wet, biodiverse ecosystem located within the Tropics.
Understory
The layer of a tropical rainforest that lies beneath the canopy but above the forest
floor.
