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edexcel b geography > paper 3 > Flashcards

paper 3 Flashcards

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1
Q

what is an ecosystem?

A

a grouping of biotic and abiotic factors that interact with eachother and the environment

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2
Q

what is a biome?

A

a large scale global ecosystem defined by the plants + animals that live there

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3
Q

features of a Taiga (boreal) biome?

A

high latitudes
trees adapted to cold- needles
doesn’t get much sun energy

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4
Q

features of the tropical rainforest biome?

A

found along the equator
hot
heavy rainfall
equatorial regions where hadley cells meet

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5
Q

features of the temperate biome?

A

forest
high rainfall
seasonal variation
trees lose leaves
cool winters
high rainfall where polar and ferrel cells meet

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6
Q

features of the tundra biome?

A

within the artic circle
little sunlight/rainfall
only tough short grasses survive

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7
Q

features of the desert biome?

A

close to the Tropics of Cancer/Capricorn
hot air sinks here
lots of sunlight
around hadley cell with little rainfall and high temperatures

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8
Q

features of the grasslands?

A

have seasonal rainfall
too low for tree growth

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9
Q

what local factors affect biome distribution?

A

altitude- different things grow at different heights
rock + soil type - can affect how fertile soil is
drainage- bogs/swamps only have adapted plants

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10
Q

what is a biotic factor?

A

a living component of an ecosystem

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11
Q

what is an abiotic factor?

A

a non-living component of an ecosystem

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12
Q

what is biodiversity?

A

the variety of biotic components within an ecosystem

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13
Q

abiotic/biotic reasons for Taiga having low biodiversity

A

abiotic= long cold winters, low precipitation, frozen soil

biotic= small amounts of food, only well adapted plants survive, small number of animals

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14
Q

the 3 stores in the nutrient cycle?

A

litter store
biomass store
soil store

-trees grow
-shed leaves
-decaying vegetation decomposes
-nutrients enter soil
-roots take up nutrients

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15
Q

why is there higher productivity and biodiversity in tropical rainforest (in relation to nutrient cycle)

A

larger biomass store- plentiful vegetation and trees quickly absorb nutrients
smaller litter store and larger decay transfer- ideal conditions for bacteria to decompose matter
larger growth transfer-year round plant growth
larger leaching transfer- lots of precipitation leaches nutrients through the soil

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16
Q

reasons for increasing demand for resources

A

urbanisation
higher food production, water shortages,
affluence- richer people consume more expensive resources (eg. meat, fossil fuels)
population growth (esp rapidly in asia)
industrialisation

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17
Q

what do we get from the rainforest?

A

medicines- aloe
poppies-> morphine
food
fuel
building materials

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18
Q

how does the biosphere act as a life support system?

A

regulates the water cycle -> plants slow down rivers and filter water
↳roots bind soil to prevent erosion, trap silt for purer water, plants intercept and transpire water

regulates carbon cycle -> photosynthesis
↳purified atmosphere and reverses global warming

nutrient cycle -> keeps soil healthy (abundant nitrogen and potassium) so more plants can grow
↳ insects and animals dig into soil to allow air to circulate

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19
Q

what is the climate like in the tropical rainforest?

A

between 25-30°C
-up to 300mm precitation in March
-reasonably high rainfall all year
-humid
-2000mm annual rainfall
-no distinct seasons

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20
Q

what are plant adaptions in the rainforest?

A

thick/tall roots to support the tree so it can grow high (buttress roots)
waxy, drip tips to prevent mould growing which blocks sunlight
shallow roots to get the nutrients which are on the top of the soil
liana plant vines climb trunks to reach sunlight and nutrients

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21
Q

what are animal adaptations in the rainforest?

A

primates have long tails for balance and strong claws for grip- can live in canopy where food is plentiful
big cats have camouflaged fur to blend into shade and sunlight on shrub layer
birds have loud calls to hear mates and powerful beaks to break open nuts

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22
Q

what are the layers of the rainforest?

A

> emergent 40m+
canopy
under canopy
shrub layer
herb layer

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23
Q

what are the adaptions of Taiga plants?

A

needle shaped leaves/ waxy= reduced water loss
coniferous= dark green leaves which don’t shed to maximise photosynthesis all year
cone shaped= shed heavy snow
grow close together= reduce wind damage
shallow, wide roots- support tree and avoid permafrost
acidic layer of pine needles

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24
Q

what are the adaptations of Taiga animals?

A

birds often migrate due to lack of food
moose eats pine needles
brown bear hibernates
animal species have thick, oily fur or feathers to keep them warm and are well camouflaged
small ears and tails to avoid frostbite

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25
Q

why does the Taiga have a low biodiversity + productivity?

A

-plants can only grow for 3-5 months per year
-litter accumulates until the summer
-thin, acidic, low in nutrient soil
-plants grow slowly

large litter store, very small soil store

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26
Q

what are the causes of deforestation (direct threat)?

A

agriculture- strips soil of nutrition, commercial clears forest for large plantations, abstinence clears forest for land for unskilled farmers to grow food for their families
logging- hardwood for furniture (eg. valuable mahogany), illegal logging
biofuels and fuelwood- cooking or charcoal
mining- mineral resources found underground
HEP dams- 400 dams along Amazon for electricity, takes up space and floods
cattle ranching- for beef, leather etc, cattle damage land and are often relocated

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27
Q

how does climate change threaten the rainforest?

A

-bring constant wet weather
-drier/hotter rainforests due rising temp and lower rainfall
-plants/animals are adapted to temp spikes
-higher chance of drought
-stressed animals/plants are less resistant to disease
-increased risk of forest fires

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28
Q

what are the direct threats to the Taiga?

A

logging for softwood, pulp and paper production- half of the worlds softwood comes from Russia’s taiga.
mining for fossil fuels
HEP dam production flooding the area

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29
Q

what are the indirect threats to the Taiga?

A

acid precipitation- destroys insects (which are prey for birds), weakens plants’ resistance to disease and weather
pests and disease- damage trees
forest fires (global warming, lightning, human activity)- destroy habitats, saplings

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30
Q

how does global warming threaten the Taiga?

A

animals with heavy coats so can’t cope with warm weather
new disease to spread to the Taiga and threaten low biodiversity
more frequent forest fires

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31
Q

what is CITES?

A

convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora

stops imports/exports of endangered speies

protects 35000 species, huge national influence (181 countries)

an agreement to tightly control trade in wild animals and plants

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32
Q

what is the advantage of CITES?

A

huge international influence, 181 countries signed up
works well for high profile ‘cuddly’ species

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33
Q

what are the disadvantages on CITES

A

very difficult to enforce rules in all countries
protects species rather than ecosystems (ie. does not stop deforestation)

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34
Q

what is REDD?

A

reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation
they try to reduce the rate of deforestation
supports the reduction of deforestation, backed by the UN (large funding)

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35
Q

what are the advantages of REDD?

A

backed by UN so lots of money is available for projects

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36
Q

what are the disadvantages of REDD?

A

not clear what they mean by ‘forest’ so some palm tree plantations received funding although they destroy the rainforest

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37
Q

what is sustainability?

A

the ability to keep something going at the same rate/level for many years

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38
Q

what is sustainable biosphere development?

A

-ensuring ecosystem can recover
-preventing damage
-help local people benefit from environment
-help local people understand how management benefits them

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39
Q

why should you protect the Taiga?

A

fragile ecosystem
-pollution remains in ecosystem for decades
-few species so a disease in one species impacts the whole ecosystem
-highly specialised plants/animals so cant adapt to climate change

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40
Q

how do national parks prevent exploitation?

A

conservation=restoring natural habitats
scientific research= find out what threatens the ecosystem
education= informing visitors

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41
Q

what are the problems with parks and reserves?

A

migration- cant protect all species
money- oil/gas reserves means pressure from the government to develop them
pollution- easily damaged by pollution but if they are far away no one will visit

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42
Q

what are the problems with sustainable forestry?

A

expensive and a long term commitment
most parts of the Taiga are leased to businesses however they aren’t interested in protection, only want to clear the area during their lease

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43
Q

why is oil consumption increasing?

A

increasing population-9.5bil by 2050
affluence- richer so buy cars, a.c
technology- people want newest models

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44
Q

what factors impact oil prices?

A

financial crisis (recession)
environmental disasters (oil spills)
conflict/wars
political tensions (nuclear weapons)
price wars between suppliers (decrease)

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45
Q

what are the benefits of extracting oil/gas from the Artic?

A

large reserves
close to important markets
melting ice has reduced costs

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46
Q

what are the drawbacks for extracting oil/gas from the Artic?

A

exploration costs billions
pollution is expensive to clear up
challenging conditions
if prices drop it will be unprofitable

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47
Q

what are the environmental costs of fracking?

A

contamination of groundwater
subsidence (sinking of land)
destroying habitats

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48
Q

how is energy wasting reduced in newly built homes?

A

insulating concrete blocks
75mm cavity wall insulation
draught proofing
thick carpets/ underlays
double glazing

49
Q

how can the UK reduce the amount of energy used in transport?

A

encourage use of public transport
increase engine efficiency
improve energy conservation (reduce drag)

50
Q

what are the benefits of renewable energy sources?

A

low/no carbon emissions
infinite
no local pollution
locally available
can reduce globalisation costs
widely available

51
Q

what are the drawbacks of renewable sources?

A

-best locations are often far from cities where energy is needed
-take up a lot of land which could be used for farming
-spoil the landscape
-impact local ecosystems
-can be more expensive to run

52
Q

how do attitudes to energy vary?

A

most supporting of sustainable energy= environmental groups> climate scientists> government> consumers > TNC’s

53
Q

what is a carbon footprint?

A

a measurement of the greenhouse gases that we contribute to the environment as a result of our daily lives

54
Q

what is your primary footprint?

A

energy use in the home + transportation

55
Q

what is the global carbon footprint?

A

4000kg
to fight climate change should be 2000kg

56
Q

what changes consumers attitudes?

A

Education - government info about energy choices
Environmental concerns- campaigns by groups
Affluence- afford energy efficient alternatives

57
Q

why might TNC’s not want a more sustainable energy approach?

A

increases their costs
consumers might be unwilling to pay for energy alternatives so its hard to make them popular

58
Q

taiga plant adaptations

A

needle-shaped leaves
cone shaped trees

59
Q

taiga animal characteristics

A

large mammals with thick coats
camouflaged animals
migrating birds

60
Q

causes of tropical rainforest deforestation

A

mining, biofuels, commercial wood logging, agriculture, hydroelectric dams

61
Q

direct threats to the taiga

A

logging for softwood, pulp and paper production

62
Q

indirect threats to the taiga

A

mining, hydroelectric power schemes

63
Q

continentality

A

distance from the ocean, affects precipitation

64
Q

energy efficiency in homes

A

-loans pay for home improvements to cut energy consumption
-grants like green deal home improvement fund
-PV solar panels get you payed

65
Q

nuclear energy advantages

A

-tiny bit of uranium makes huge amounts of energy
-cheaper
-no reliance on fossil fuels
-creates jobs

66
Q

nuclear energy disadvantages

A
  • uranium is finite
  • worries over danger (fukushima power plant meltdown).
  • uranium has to be mined and synthesised which is expensive.
67
Q

commercial uses for forest resources

A

-bushmeat trade, africa, monkeys/lemurs
-fossil fuels
-oil/gas drilling
-palm oil
-HEP constructing large dams and flooding areas to create a reservoir
-mining for coltan used in phones

68
Q

rainforest water cycle

A

-heavy daily rain
-trees intercept water
-some water reaches ground
-trees take up water
-water evaporates

69
Q

rainforest nutrients cycle

A

-trees grow
-trees shed leaves
-decaying vegetation decomposes
-nutrients enter soil
-roots take up nutrients

70
Q

what are the global ecosystems?

A

-deserts
-tundra
-tropical rainforest
-temperate forests
-boreal forests
-tropical grasslands
-temperate grasslands

71
Q

REDD policy

A

-UN project to stop deforestation and global warming. aim to reduce deforestation emissions, conserving forests in developing countries

72
Q

CITES policy

A

lists 34,000 species of endangered animals eg red pandas, tigers, chimps. bans cross-border trade for these species’ so illegal hunting will stop

73
Q

poverty driving deforestation

A

-many people in LICs cut down small parts of forest for subsistence farming because they have no choice.
-low skilled and little income to seek further employment

74
Q

debt driving deforestation

A

if a country has foreign debt they are forced to carry on deforesting to mine and for commercial agriculture so they can pay off the debt

75
Q

economic development driving deforestation

A

mining is lucrative meaning companies use the forest for deforestation so the country can grow economically

76
Q

demand for biofuels driving deforestation

A

more resources demanded so more land is removed from HEP projects etc

77
Q

mineral exploitation causing deforestation

A

coltan mining in the democratic republic of congo pays poor families to dig for coltan which is cheaply sold to TNCs

78
Q

biofuels causing deforestation

A

-palm oil in indonesia has 6million hectares of biofuel plantations used in food/cosmetics, and burnt

79
Q

what could happen to the TRF in the future

A

-bacteria thrives at higher temps
-more pathogens=more disease
-more forest fires=more CO2
-plants produce CO2
-leaves in canopy die, less food supply
-increased meat demand, more methane emissions
-china/india’s middle class increases consumption
-forest law code enforced?

80
Q

juma forest reserve

A

-first REDD project in brazi;
-spotless TRF
-ngo’s pay residents to not deforest, $28/month
-donated by amazonas state gov, hotels, banks
-hard to catch illegal loggers, also less than a dollar a day

81
Q

bird adaptations in the Taiga

A

woodpeckers migrate to the south in the winter so they don’t get cold

82
Q

mammal adaptations in the Taiga

A

-thick fur coats
-ability to hibernate
-short ears and tails avoid frostbite
-winter camouflage=white fur

83
Q

features of the taiga

A

-northern hemisphere
-coniferous trees so snow falls off
-many animals have thick oily fur
-not much biodiversity because animals/plants have to adapt or be able to hibernate

84
Q

taiga forest adaptations

A

-triangular trees, snow falls off
-needles waxy to avoid frost
-seeds covered in woody layer
-roots shallow so they don’t hit the waterlogged permafrost (summer)
-lichens and mosses grow on the ground because there is no light

85
Q

productivity

A

measure of how much biomass added to biome each year. increased with sunlight, heat and rain

86
Q

threats to the taiga

A

-only 8% deforested, but a few cute animals like polar bears are at risk

87
Q

acid rain in the taiga

A

causes chemical gases to occur by reacting with clouds/oxygen. rains on taiga and harms animals and plants

88
Q

pests and disease in the taiga

A

taiga has fungus, mould, silkworms, beetles etc that damage Conifer’s needles. over 6million acres of alaska shows spruce bark beetle activity

89
Q

HEP potential taiga

A

good river flow so targetted for dam building that reduce downstream water flow

90
Q

softwood logging and paper production taiga

A

clearcutting makes it hard for trees to regrow an makes forest more susceptible to flooding and eroion. one of canada’s important industries

91
Q

exploitation of minerals and fossil fuels taiga

A

uses chemicals which contaminate groundwater. taiga used for 20% oil stock in russian businesses

92
Q

sustainable forest management in Finland

A

-8% protected
-everyman’s right enforced
-trees replanted with a range of species’ to ensure biodiversity

93
Q

wind power advantages

A
  • no pollution
  • hundreds of megawatts electricity
  • cheap
94
Q

wind power disadvantages

A
  • unattractive
  • expensive
  • kills birds
  • offshore wind farms too far away from place where energy is needed
95
Q

solar power advantages

A
  • no noise
  • maintenance creates many jobs
96
Q

solar power disadvantages

A
  • could harm desert habitats
  • can take up land used for crops
  • effort to maintain upkeep
97
Q

hydroelectric power advantages

A
  • reliable and consistent
  • production easily altered
  • builds dams and reservoirs which easily conserves water
98
Q

hydroelectric power disadvantages

A
  • expensive
  • unattractive
  • changes in rivers displace animals
99
Q

biofuels advantages

A
  • produces less carbon emissions than fossil fuels
  • cheaper
  • reuses waste materials
100
Q

biofuels disadvantages

A
  • loads of water needed to grow crops
  • land competition
  • deforestation
101
Q

hydrogen power advantages

A
  • no pollution
  • made from water
  • efficient
102
Q

hydrogen power disadvantages

A
  • energy needed to release hydrogen from water
  • difficult to store
103
Q

geothermal energy

A

from volcanoes in countries near equator which is taken from magma heat energy

104
Q

peak oil

A

where oil production reaches it’s peak and begins to decline. growing demand because of growing population

105
Q

what local factors affect biome distribution?

A

-altitude
-rock type
-soil type
-drainage

106
Q

what resources does the biosphere provide?

A

-food
-medicine
-building materials
-fuel
-resources for indigenous people

107
Q

what do humans exploit the biosphere for?

A

-energy
-water
-minerals

108
Q

malthus theory

A

pessimistic
impossible to increase food production to keep up with population growth and a natural disaster would level out the population

population is growing faster than earth’s food supply (18th century)

109
Q

boserup’s theory

A

optimistic
If exponential population growth caused malnutrition, drive to provide and find more resources would lead to innovation and invention of new technologies to would improve food production/water supplies/ energy supplies
(20th century)

110
Q

how can we conserve tropical rainforests?

A

-ecotourism
-sustainable farming

111
Q

what are causing losses of biodiversity in taiga forests?

A

-acid rain
-forest fires
-pests
-diseases

112
Q

how can we conserve taiga forests?

A

-creating wilderness areas
-creating national parks (e.g. wood buffalo national park in canada)
-sustainable forestry- felled trees replaces with native taiga trees

113
Q

recyclable energy sources

A

-nuclear energy
-biomass converters

114
Q

what is access to energy affected by?

A

-technology
-geology
-accessibility
-climate
-landscape
-global energy consumption is unevenly distributed

115
Q

what is energy conservation?

A

about changing our behaviour as consumers- saving energy

116
Q

what is energy efficiency?

A

it does the same job as something else but uses less energy

117
Q

what is energy security?

A

to have access to reliable and affordable energy sources

118
Q

what is energy diversification?

A

using energy from a variety of sources- increases energy security

edexcel b geography (3 decks)

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