Paper 3 - People And The Biosphere - Topic 8 Flashcards
Define biodiversity
The number of different planta nd animal species in certain area
In amazonia how many plant and animal species are there ?
16000 tree species
40000 plant speices
6 different sloth speices
10000 animal speices
Why is biodiversity in the rainforest so high ?
- the climate is perfect for yesr round growth and reproduction
- rainforests are ancient and have a stable climate, over years thousands of species of plant and animals have evolved
- the multiple layers in a tropical rainforest provide numerous different specialised habitats. Plants and animals have evolved to take advantage of this
What % of the worlds animal and plant species live in the amazon rainforest ?
10%
What is the equatorial climate (rainforest climate) ?
- No dry seasons at all, at least 60mm of rainfall each month
- some even get 3m of rain per month
- Temperatures are high, at 26-32 degrees all year round
- no summer or winter
Why do tropical rainforest grow so much ?
Due to all year round there being rain and sunlight
What is the structure (layers) of the tropical rainforest ?
Highest to lowest
Emergent layer
Canopy layer
Undercanopy layer
Forest floor
What are the properties of the emergent layer ?
- Hardwood, evergreen trees - that have broken through the dense canopy layer to reach sunlight
What are the properties of the canopy layer ?
Home to tree snakes, birds, tree frogs and other animals
So many animals live here as there is so much food avalible
What are the properties of the understorey layer ?
Contains young trees
Trees have massive leaves so that they can capture more sunlight
Huge numbers of insects live here
What are the properties of the forest floor ?
Dark as sunlight is blocked off by so many tree layers
Large leaves
Mammals such as the jaguar live here
How have sloths adapted to live the rainforest ?
Huge claws help them climb and hang on to trees
Fur grows away from their feet so that when hanging down the rain sheds easier
Green algae in their fur helps them camoflage from predetors
How have primates adapted to live in the rainforest ?
Lemurs and monkeys have evolved to live in the canopy where most the food is
They both have long tails used for balancing
Have strong claws to grip to trees and branches
How have big cats adapted to live in the rainforest ?
Jaguars, tigers and leopards all have camoflaged fur - the dark and light patches on their fur blend in with the light and dark on the forest floor
How have birds adapted to live in the rainforest ?
Have load calls so that they can hear a mate rather then see them through the dense canopy layer
Parrots and macaws have powerful beaks to break into nuts to eat
How has the plant epiphytes adapted to live in the rainforest ?
In the canopy layer
Get their nutrients from water and air rather then soil
Evolved so they have roots dangeling mid air
How are drip tip leaves an adaptation for plants living in the rainforest ?
Shed water quickly to prevent the leave rotting
How have the plants lianas adapted to the rainforest ?
‘Climbing plants’ use trees as their ‘trunks’
Their Stems cling to trees and climb up to the sunlight in the canopy, while getting water and nutrients from the soil below
How has the plant evergreen hardwood trees adapted to the rainforest ?
Tall slender trunks with no branches
Huge buttress roots
The roots support the enormous weight of the trees
Leaves and branches are all at the top where the sunlight is
What are the facts about soil of the rainforest ?
Rainforest soil is very infertile in the rainforest
The top layer is very fertile and called humus - due to plants and animals that die
In the tropical rainforest what is the speed of the nutrient cycle ?
Rapid
What are the differences in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest compared to what we know in topic 7 ?
Have a larger biomass store
Smaller litter store and larger decay transfer
Larger growth transer
Larger weathering input
Larger leaching output
Why is there a larger biomass store for the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?
Layers of vegatation and huge trees store lareg amout of nutrients
Why is there a Smaller litter store and larger decay transfer for the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?
In hot wet conditions bacteria and fungi decay dead matter quickly, returning nutrients to the soil
Why is there a larger growth transfer in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?
Plants grow all year, so draw nutrients up from the soil rapidly
Why is there a larger weathering input in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?
Chemical weathering processes are faster in hot wet climates, so nutrients release into the soil faster
How is energy passed through the food web ?
Plants —> herbivours —> carnivours —> top carnivours —> decomposers
What is taiga known as ?
Boreal forest
How many sqaure kilometers does the taiga cover ?
390 sqaure kilometers
What percentage of the worlds remaining forest does the taiga make up ?
30 %
What latitude is the taiga forest found at ?
50 degree and 70 latitude mostly in the northern hemisphere
What countrys are covered in taiga ?
Canada and russia
How has the coniferous (evergreen) tree adapted to the taiga climate ?
Their shape allows snow to fall, instead of weighing on branches
Pine needles prevent damage from wind of snow
What type of climate is the taiga ?
Subartic
What are the taiga’s summer like ?
Shorts, wet summers of 3 months when temperatures can rise to 20 degrees
What are the winters like in the taiga ?
Long cold, dry winters with several months below freezing, as low as -20 degrees
What is the precipitation like in the taiga ?
Low precipitation, below 20mm for 5 months and only 350-750mm per year
How often is there snow on the ground in the taiga ?
All year
Why is biodiversity in the taiga quite low ?
Plants and animal have to be well adapted for the harsh weather/cold ; so reptiles and amphibians are rare
Growing season is only 4-5 months, so in winter there is little foods
What adaptations have many mammals had ?
Thick, oily fur - to help to retain body heat and provide water proofing
What are some mammals that have Thick, oily fur - to help to retain body heat and provide water proofing ?
Black, brown and grizzley bears, wolves moose and lynx
Due to food being scarce/hard to find in the tagia what do some animals do ?
Hibernate
How many bird species live in the taiga in the summer vs the winter ?
300 species in summer
30 species stay in the summer the other 270 migrate - due to lack of food
