Paper 3 - People And The Biosphere - Topic 8

Question 1

Define biodiversity

Answer 1

The number of different planta nd animal species in certain area

Question 2

In amazonia how many plant and animal species are there ?

Answer 2

16000 tree species
40000 plant speices
6 different sloth speices
10000 animal speices

Question 3

Why is biodiversity in the rainforest so high ?

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

What % of the worlds animal and plant species live in the amazon rainforest ?

Answer 4

10%

Question 5

What is the equatorial climate (rainforest climate) ?

Answer 5

• 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

Question 6

Why do tropical rainforest grow so much ?

Answer 6

Due to all year round there being rain and sunlight

Question 7

What is the structure (layers) of the tropical rainforest ?

Highest to lowest

Answer 7

Emergent layer
Canopy layer
Undercanopy layer
Forest floor

Question 8

What are the properties of the emergent layer ?

Answer 8

• Hardwood, evergreen trees - that have broken through the dense canopy layer to reach sunlight

Question 9

What are the properties of the canopy layer ?

Answer 9

Home to tree snakes, birds, tree frogs and other animals

So many animals live here as there is so much food avalible

Question 10

What are the properties of the understorey layer ?

Answer 10

Contains young trees

Trees have massive leaves so that they can capture more sunlight

Huge numbers of insects live here

Question 11

What are the properties of the forest floor ?

Answer 11

Dark as sunlight is blocked off by so many tree layers

Large leaves

Mammals such as the jaguar live here

Question 12

How have sloths adapted to live the rainforest ?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

How have primates adapted to live in the rainforest ?

Answer 13

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

Question 14

How have big cats adapted to live in the rainforest ?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

How have birds adapted to live in the rainforest ?

Answer 15

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

Question 16

How has the plant epiphytes adapted to live in the rainforest ?

Answer 16

In the canopy layer

Get their nutrients from water and air rather then soil

Evolved so they have roots dangeling mid air

Question 17

How are drip tip leaves an adaptation for plants living in the rainforest ?

Answer 17

Shed water quickly to prevent the leave rotting

Question 18

How have the plants lianas adapted to the rainforest ?

Answer 18

‘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

Question 19

How has the plant evergreen hardwood trees adapted to the rainforest ?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

What are the facts about soil of the rainforest ?

Answer 20

Rainforest soil is very infertile in the rainforest

The top layer is very fertile and called humus - due to plants and animals that die

Question 21

In the tropical rainforest what is the speed of the nutrient cycle ?

Answer 21

Rapid

Question 22

What are the differences in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest compared to what we know in topic 7 ?

Answer 22

Have a larger biomass store

Smaller litter store and larger decay transfer

Larger growth transer

Larger weathering input

Larger leaching output

Question 23

Why is there a larger biomass store for the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?

Answer 23

Layers of vegatation and huge trees store lareg amout of nutrients

Question 24

Why is there a Smaller litter store and larger decay transfer for the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?

Answer 24

In hot wet conditions bacteria and fungi decay dead matter quickly, returning nutrients to the soil

Question 25

Why is there a larger growth transfer in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?

Answer 25

Plants grow all year, so draw nutrients up from the soil rapidly

Question 26

Why is there a larger weathering input in the nutrients cycle in the rainforest ?

Answer 26

Chemical weathering processes are faster in hot wet climates, so nutrients release into the soil faster

Question 27

How is energy passed through the food web ?

Answer 27

Plants —> herbivours —> carnivours —> top carnivours —> decomposers

Question 28

What is taiga known as ?

Answer 28

Boreal forest

Question 29

How many sqaure kilometers does the taiga cover ?

Answer 29

390 sqaure kilometers

Question 30

What percentage of the worlds remaining forest does the taiga make up ?

Answer 30

30 %

Question 31

What latitude is the taiga forest found at ?

Answer 31

50 degree and 70 latitude mostly in the northern hemisphere

Question 32

What countrys are covered in taiga ?

Answer 32

Canada and russia

Question 33

How has the coniferous (evergreen) tree adapted to the taiga climate ?

Answer 33

Their shape allows snow to fall, instead of weighing on branches Pine needles prevent damage from wind of snow

Question 34

What type of climate is the taiga ?

Answer 34

Subartic

Question 35

What are the taiga’s summer like ?

Answer 35

Shorts, wet summers of 3 months when temperatures can rise to 20 degrees

Question 36

What are the winters like in the taiga ?

Answer 36

Long cold, dry winters with several months below freezing, as low as -20 degrees

Question 37

What is the precipitation like in the taiga ?

Answer 37

Low precipitation, below 20mm for 5 months and only 350-750mm per year

Question 38

How often is there snow on the ground in the taiga ?

Answer 38

All year

Question 39

Why is biodiversity in the taiga quite low ?

Answer 39

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

Question 40

What adaptations have many mammals had ?

Answer 40

Thick, oily fur - to help to retain body heat and provide water proofing

Question 41

What are some mammals that have Thick, oily fur - to help to retain body heat and provide water proofing ?

Answer 41

Black, brown and grizzley bears, wolves moose and lynx

Question 42

Due to food being scarce/hard to find in the tagia what do some animals do ?

Answer 42

Hibernate

Question 43

How many bird species live in the taiga in the summer vs the winter ?

Answer 43

300 species in summer 30 species stay in the summer the other 270 migrate - due to lack of food