Paper 3 - People and the Biosphere Flashcards
biome
a large area characterised by certain types of plants
Tropical Savanna
A hot and dry grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome
Tropical rainforest
A very hot and wet biome located on or near the equator and with the greatest biodiversity (number of plants and animals) found anywhere on earth.
Artic and Alpine Tundra
It is below freezing at night year round; This biome covers one-fifth of the land on earth - there is little precipitation, a short growing season; and poor nutrients. The word Tundra is comes from Lappish language (Lapland) which means “land with no trees”.
Tiaga (Boreal forest)
This biome is also called A taiga and is a northern coniferous (evergreen) forest. It is a cold woodland located north of temperate deciduous forests. It is the largest biome - covering about 50 million acres of land - about 17% of the Earth’s land area and can be found in Canada, Europe, Asia, and the United States
desert
This area is very hot and also very, very dry. Because of this very little grows - only very hardy plants such as cactus which can survive drought.
Temperature deciduous forest
can be found in the eastern half of North America, and the middle of Europe. There are many deciduous forests in Asia. There are no extremes of climate. The deciduous forest has four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the autumn the leaves change color. During the winter months the trees lose their leaves.
Mediterranean/Chaparral
is found in a little bit of most of the continents - the west coast of the United States, the west coast of South America, the Cape Town area of South Africa, the western tip of Australia and the coastal areas of the Mediterranean. This biome has flat plains, rocky hills and mountain slopes. It is sometimes used in movies for the “Wild West”. It is very hot and dry - the winter is very mild (usually about 10 °C), the summer is so hot and dry at 40 °C that fires and droughts are very common. Fortunately, the plants and animals are adapted to these conditions. Most of the plants have small, hard leaves which hold moisture. Some of these plants are poison oak, scrub oak, Yucca Wiple and other shrubs, trees and cacti.
Grassland
A large biome with rolling terrains of grasses, flowers and herbs. It is a region where the average annual precipitation is great enough to support grasses, and in some areas a few trees. The precipitation is so unpredictable that drought and fire prevent large forests from growing.
What are the 8 biomes?
Tropical savannah, tropical Rainforest, artic and alpine tundra, desert, boreal forest, temperature deciduous forest, Mediterranean/chaparral, grassland
Explain the 5 Factors influencing biome location
latitude (temperature):
- sunlight arriving in the tropics is highly concentrated (more plants) whereas at the poles it spreads more thinly (less plants)
latitude (rainfall)
- rainfall is highest in coastal and Highland regions -> precipitation happens when their belts of low pressure
altitude:
- Temperatures fall by 0.6°C for every 100 metres increase in altitude; TRF develops into coniferous forest and tundra as you gain in height and move inland
geology:
- limestone bedrock creates dry soil conditions because citing rainwater passes through it relatively easily
drainage:
- Affects local conditions and vegetation; poorly drained land close to rivers is often occupied by swamps rather than grasslands or forests
local factors
differences that alter animal and plant species in a biome, from ones we would expect
what are local factors that affect the UK’s ecosystems
- Rock and soil type
- Water availability and drainage
- Altitude (height of land
Explain how the local factor ‘rock and soil type’ affects the UK ecosystem
Rocks undergo chemical weathering, they release nutrients and chemicals into the
soil. Soils can be neutral, acidic or alkaline, depending on rock type. The acidity/alkalinity of soil affects the plants that will grow there.
Explain how the local factor ‘water availability and drainage’ affects the UK ecosystem
Some plants can grow with their roots in waterlogged soil/boggy areas; others prefer
drier soils. How wet the soil is depends on:
- Amount of precipitation
- Amount of evaporation from the soil (impacted by temperature)
- How permeable the soil is; sandy soils are dry and clay soils are wet
Explain how the local factor ‘altitude’ affects the UK ecosystem
Height affects biomes in 3 ways:
- Temperature drops by 6.5 degrees for every 1000m increase in height
- Below freezing temperatures are common , which limits plant growth
- Rainfall often increases with height
altitudinal zonation
change in ecosystems at different altitudes, caused by alteration in temperature, precipitation, sunlight and soil type
biotic
living things that make up a biome -> made up from plant (flora) and animal (fauna) life
