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
abiotic
non-living things that make up a biome -> includes the atmosphere, water, rock and soil
wilder and alder forest conditions
Found in waterlogged and marshy areas such as riverbanks and the edges of lakes
beech and ash forest conditions
Found in limestone and chalk areas with slightly alkaline soils
oak forest conditions
found in areas of moist, neutral or slightly acidic soils
Scot’s pine and birch forest conditions
Found in areas with high rainfall but acidic soils which have a few nutrients
goods
physical materials e.g. timber from trees or fish caught in a lake
services
functions e.g. how forests prevent flooding or trees add oxygen to the atmosphere
what are the 4 categories of ecosystem services
provisioning services (goods):
- Products obtained from ecosystem
supporting services:
- Keep the ecosystem healthy so it can provide the other services e.g. Photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, soil formation etc.
Cultural services:
- Benefits people get from visiting on living in a healthy environment e.g. education and science, spiritual well-being and happiness
Regulating services:
- The services linked to other physical systems and keep areas on the whole planet healthy e.g. storing carbon and emitting oxygen, purifying water and regulating the flow of water
indigenous people
original people of the region that lead traditional lifestyles and use the area to survive
TNC’S
are giant companies operating in many countries
provisioning goods examples
- food: nuts, berries, fish, game, crops etc
- Fuelwood
- Timber for buildings and other uses (furniture)
- Genetic and chemical material
Regulating services examples
- storing carbon and emitting oxygen (atmosphere balance)
- Purifying water and regulating the hydrological cycle
Supporting services example
- soil formation
- nutrient cycling
- Photosynthesis and food webs
Cultural services examples
- education and areas for scientific research
- Recreation and tourism
- Spiritual well-being and happiness
How does the Yamani tribe collect food? (Indigenous people in the rainforest)
- pacify the bees with smoke to make them less active to collect honey
- Eats sugarcane
- Grows crops in gardens
- Gets fish from nearby lake
What is the Yanomami tribe due to enhance strength? (Indigenous people in the rainforest)
- whip each other to make you more brave and courageous
- Spirits of the forest whip kids to stimulate growth and to cure laziness
- Pregnant woman are whipped to strengthen their unborn child
How does the Yanomami live under shelter? (Indigenous people in the rainforest)
- Live in massive hut (10m high)
- huts are built by hand -> open space -> home to 20 families
What are the main causes of deforestation?
- commercial Farming - particularly for beef cattle ranching or to grow food crops such as soy beans which are fed to cattle
- Commercial crops such as palm oil, cocoa beans, or cereals
- Mining metal ores such as copper and iron
- forestry logging: Timber used to make paper, furniture or construction wood
- Construction of dams and reservoir hydroelectric power (HEP) and to supply water to cities
What’s the biome is cleared to make away for this type of commercial exploitation It can never grow back.
Evaporation
When liquid is heated and changes state into a gas
Condensation
When water vapour (gas) changes back into a liquid
How does removal trees affect the water cycle? (5 ways)
- no trees means less interception so there is soil erosion
- Less trees means less infiltration of water into soil so less supply
- More surface run-off means more soil erosion which means more water into the river faster
- more flooding means water gets dirtier
- No forest means soil dries faster as there is less Evaporation so there is less clouds and thus less rain
What are the 3 key services biomes provide to the planet?
- healthy air
- healthy soils
- Water supply and protection against flood risk
carbon sink
A natural environment (forest) that can absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
How does a forest biome store the carbon which is found on this planet?
- Through photosynthesis, leaves take in CO2; release O2
- Dead plants and animals (biomass) ends up in soil - storing carbon there
How can humans destroy biomes and affect carbon stores? (2 ways)
- Destroy biomes through deforestation- biomes absorb less CO2
- Biomass such as trees being burned, and soil gets destroyed, releasing their stored carbon
What ways can humans affect the nutrient cycle? - deforestation problems
- Removing biomass e.g. logging, takes away nutrient store
- Deforested areas experience soil erosion (another nutrient store) (soil quality)
- biomass such as trees are burned and soil is destroyed releasing their stored carbon (soil and air quality)
- surface run off is increased and water enters the river much quicker this increases chance of flooding as well as making the river dirtier we washed up soil (water quality)
- carbon dioxide being released (air quality)
How is soil quality being affected by humans (deforestation)
Deforested areas experience soil erosion as there is less interception from trees, increasing surface run off and causing soil erosion. Soils are a nutrient store, so the nutrient cycle is impacted.
How is air quality being affected by human? (deforestation)
- Humans destroy biomes and biomass such as trees are burned, and soil destroyed, releasing their stored carbon
- Removing biomass e.g. logging timber takes away a huge nutrient store
How is the water quality being affected by humans (deforestation)
Due to increased surface run off, water enters the river much quicker, this increases the chance of flooding, as well as making the
river water dirtier with washed up soil
what are the reasons for growth in demand for natural resources?
- Rising population – greater demand for resources such as food/water. Destruction of forests for farmland
- Increasing wealth of people – means people use more energy and therefore fossil fuels
- Increasing urbanisation – more people living in towns and cities which have sprawled over biomes
Biosphere
The living part (animals and plants) of the Earth.
It provides us with goods and services for survival and commercial use
examples of the uses of the rainforest of ecosystem for indigenous people - the original people of the regions
- small circular houses are built from wood and leaves
- timber - used to make paper, furniture, construction wood
- fish in rivers, hunt monkey and antelope
- use of plants and honey to make traditional medications
examples of the uses of the rainforest for expoilting ecosystems services - temporary destruction of the rainforest
- local farmers clear small areas by cutting and burning
- ash from burning adds nutrients to the soils
- land is farmed for 5-6 years after soil becomes infertile and farmers move on
examples of the uses of the rainforest for destroying ecosystem services – Destroying the ecosystem for profit often involving TNCs and the government
- commercial farming - beef cattle/fodder crops such as soy beans
- commercial crops - Palm oil, cocoa beans, or cereals
- Construction of dams/reservoirs for hydroelectric power
- Mining metal ores such as copper and iron
Asia-industrialisation
- post 1970, industrialisation happened in China, South Korea, India and Thailand
- people used to work in farms, they now work in factories and offices
- Thailand’s urban population was 17m in 1990 now by 2015 it’s 34m
- In India between 2000 and 2015 the number of cars went from 6m to 30m
malthus theory
they will not be enough resources to meet the demands of the growing population
boserup theory
Technology will provide resources for the growing population
What does the term exponential growth mean? (MALTHUSIAN VIEW)
growth of quantities at a rate of proportional of the current amount
how does the growth of food production differ? (MALTHUSIAN VIEW)
population doubles whilst food goes up arithmetically
What is the outcome of this population/resource growth? (MALTHUSIAN VIEW)
population would out weigh food supply
what two ways does population fall to create a balance between food and population (MALTHUSIAN VIEW)
- positive checks - war, starvation and famine
- preventive - people marrying later and having fewer kids
what is the title of Boserup’s book which was published in 1965? (BOSERUPIAN VIEW)
‘The conditions of Agricultural Growth’
How does the population react to an increase in its numbers in relation to food production (BOSERUPIAN VIEW)
as population grows, innovative humans invent new ways of producing more food
What technology did Boserup believe would help alleviate the problems with food production (BOSERUPIAN VIEW)
farm machinery, fertilisers, GM crops
