Paper 3 Topic 7: People And The Biosphere Flashcards
State 2 resources local people may obtain from the biosphere?
- wood
- food
- water
What is a biome?
A large scale area of ecosystems that conatin specific, vegitation and animal species due to specialised temperature and precipitation patterns
Describe the climate of tropical rainforests?
Hot and wet
How does the climate of tropical rainforests affect the plants, animals and soil?
- plants are evergreen(take advantage of continual growing season)
- plants adapted to take in max light
- lots of food for different species of animals
- soil: -planta grow quickly and shed leaves all year round, they decompose quickly, there is a constant supply of nutrients in the soil(nutrient cycle happens quickly)
Describe the climate of a temperate forest?
-mild and wet(+4 distinct seasons)
How does the climate of temperate forests affect the plants, animals and soil?
Soil: relatively thick and nutrient rich(leaves fall from trees in Autumn and decompose)
Animals: mild climate and range of plants provides food and habitats for mammals
Plants: wet climate supports fewer plant species than tropical rainforests but more than Boreal forests.
Forests are made up of broad leave trees that shed leaves in winter
Describe a desert climate?
- hot
- dry
- low rainfall
How does the climate of deserts affect the plants, animals and soil?
Plants: plant growth is sparse due to lack of rainfall
Animals: few animals
Soil: thin and nutrient poor
Describe the climate of a tropical grassland?
- low rainfall
- wet and dry seasons
How does the climate of tropical grassland affect the plants, animals and soil?
- consists of mainly shrubs and small plants(few scattered trees)
- home to a lot of insects and larger mammals such as lions and elephants
Describe the climate of temperate grasslands?
- hot summers
- hold winters
(They are further from the equator than tropical grasslands so the amount of light they receive varies through the year)
How does the climate of temperate grasslands affect the plants, animals and soil?
Plants: dominated by grasses and small plants and very small trees(fewer species than tropical grasslands)
Animals: mammals
Nutrients: decomposition is fast -nutrients is thick
What four things affect biome distribution?
-altitude
Rock type
Soil type
Drainage
Describe the climate of the tundra
- low temperatures
- low rainfall
Give thee e.g of how biotic and abiotic components interact with each other?
- water avaliability
- type and density of vegitiation
- organisms cause biological weathering
What is the biosphere
made up of the parts of Earth where life exists—all ecosystems.
What is an ecosystem?
The interaction of all the biotic and abiotic factors of an enviroment
What does the biosphere do?
Helps regulate the gases in the atmosphere
(Plants take up carbon dioxide)
(Animals take up oxygen)
- also helps keep soil healthy
- helps to regulate the water cycle
How do humans use the biosphere
Food(many indigenous ppl eat plants and animals directly)
Medicine(a lot pf plants have medicinal properties and are used to cure illness
Building materials
Fuel
How do humans exploit the biosphere(3 ways)
-minerals(mining)
-water demand
Energy(demand for oil)
What is causing increased demand of resources?
Population growth
What three other factors can also increase demand for resources?
- increasing wealth
- increasing urbanisation
- increasing industrialisation
Describe Mathus theory on resource supply?
There would be too many people for resources
POINT OF CATASTOPHE WOULD OCCUR
Describe Boserup’s theory on resource supply?
No matter how hugh population gets, people will always produce sufficient resources to meet needs and avoid hardship
