People And Biosphere

Question 1

What are biomes

Answer 1

Large-scale global ecosystems with distinctive vegetation

Question 2

What are climates

Answer 2

An area determining what type of biome forms

Question 3

Tropical forest climate

Answer 3

• the same all year round - no definite seasons
• hot (20-28°C)
• long days all year (12 hours)
• high rainfall (2000mm per year)

Question 4

Tropicsl rainforest characteristics

Answer 4

Plants - most trees are evergreen and grow quickly
Animals - dense vegetation provides lots of food for different habitats.
Sloil - plants grow quickly and shed leaves all year round which decompose quickly leaving a constant supply of nutrients which are cycled quickly

Question 5

Temperate forest climate

Answer 5

• four distinct seasons
• rainfall very high (1500mm)
• days are shorter in winter and longer in summer

Question 6

Temperate forest characteristics

Answer 6

Plants - mild wet climate supports less plant species that tropical but more that boreal. Forests often made off broad-leaved trees that drop in autumn (oak), shrubs and undergrowth.
Animals - food provided for mammal (squirreles), birds and insects.
Soil - plants lose their leaves in autumn and the leaf litter decomposes quite quickly in moist climate. Soil is relatively thick and nutrient rich.

Question 7

Boreal forests climate

Answer 7

• Have short summers and long winters, temp in winter in below -20 and in summer is approx 10°C
• precipitation is low (less than 500mm)
• gets lots of day light during summer

Question 8

Boreal forest characteristics

Answer 8

Plants - most trees are evergree. Coniferous tree such as pine and fir are common. Also low growing mosses and lichen
Animals - few species as there is less food. Animals include black bears and wolves
Soil - needles from trees decompose slowly, soil is thin and acidic.

Question 9

Tropical grassland climate

Answer 9

• low rainfall (800-900mm) and distinct wet/dry seasons
• temp highest around 35 before wet season and lowest at 15.
• found around the equator so gets lots of sun

Question 10

Tropical grassland characteristics

Answer 10

Plants - consist mostly of grass, scrub and small plants.
Animals - home to lots of insects and larger animals like lions.
Soil - grass dies back during dry season forming thin nutrient rich soil, thoguh the nutrients are washed away in wet season

Question 11

Temperate grassland climate

Answer 11

• hot summers (40) and cold winters (-40)
• recieve 250-500 mm precipiation in late spring and early summer
• light varies throughout year

Question 12

Twmperate grassland climate characteristics

Answer 12

Plants - dominated by grasses and small plants with few trees
Animals - home to fewer animals like bison and rodents.
Soil - high temps in summer mean decomposition is fater so soil is thick and nutrient rich

Question 13

Desert climate

Answer 13

• low rainfall (less than 250 mm)

- hot (45°C) at day but cold at night (0°C)

Question 14

Tundra climate

Answer 14

• temp low (5-10) during summer and lower in winter (under -30)
• prescipation low (under 250 mm)
• at high latitudes so lots of daylight in summer

Question 15

How does rocktype alter biomes

Answer 15

Some rocks are weatherd easily to form soils.
Different rocks contains different minerals
Some rock are permable (let water through)

Question 16

How does soil type alter biomes

Answer 16

The acidity and drainage of soils varies, affecting how plants can grow. For example, peat soil is very acidic so only acid-tolerant plants can grow

Question 17

How does drainage affect biomes

Answer 17

Soil can get waterlogged and only adapted plants can grow. Very wet areas may be home to aquatic species

Question 18

How can biological weathering effect biomes

Answer 18

Rocks are brocken up into smaller pieces by living things

Question 19

What is the biosphere

Answer 19

All parst of the Earth that are occupied by living oraganisms

Question 20

Food

Answer 20

Many indigeois people get all their food directly from plants and animals. Some forage for food, picking wild fruit etc.

Question 21

Medicine

Answer 21

Lots of plants have medical properties and are used to cure illnesses and keep people healthy. Plant species in tropical forests have been used to create over 7000 drugs like quinine

Question 22

Building materials

Answer 22

Trees and other pants are used as building materials such as pine from taiga forest used to make furniture.

Question 23

How is energy effected by comercial exploition

Answer 23

Increaing population and wealth cause increasing demand for energy. Large areas of forest are cut down to clear land for growing crops for biofules, or to male way for coal mines or power staytions. Some areas of the tropical forest are flooded from building a hydroelectric dam. Drilling oil and gas in the tundra cause the permafrost to melt from the pipeslines

Question 24

How is water effected by comercial exploition

Answer 24

Pop increase cause demand for water - as people use water for washing, irrigating farming etc. water recources are over-exploited, especially in arid areas.

Question 25

How is mineral effected by comercial exploition

Answer 25

Minerals like gold and iron used in building, scientific intruments snd electrical appliances are in demand. They are often extracted from mining causing lots of deforestation and toxic chemicals are washed into water. Open pit mining removes large areas of land surface

Question 26

How does increasing CO2 effect oceans

Answer 26

They become acidic

Question 27

How does the biosphere maintane soil

Answer 27

• plant roots and animals spread nutrients through the soil which helps soilt structure and fertility.
• the roots of vegetation also hold the soil together - without it soil could be eroded by wind and rain
• vegetarion intercepts rainfall which prevents leaching (nutrients are washed downwards)

Question 28

How deos the biosphere control the water cycle (hydrological cycle)

Answer 28

Water is taken up by the plants so less reaches rivers

Plants regulare globals water cycle by storing water and releasing it into the atmosphere slowly

Question 29

What are the UNs population projections

Answer 29

They have made three, thie highest prediction shows the worlds pop reaching 14 billion

Question 30

What are other factors that increase demand for resources

Answer 30

Wealth
Urbanisation
Industrialisation

Question 31

How does increasing wealth cause demand for recources

Answer 31

Economic develoment = increasing wealth. This causes more disposable income which affects their resource consumption. More money is spent on food and devices that require energy. Also manifacturing goods and producing energy requires lots of water.

Question 32

How does increasing urbanisation cause demand for recources

Answer 32

It tends to increase resource consumption by citites being more resource-intensive with more use in energy and water (signs and fountains). Food and water have to be transpored long distance to meet increased demands and waste need to be removed.

Question 33

How does increasing industrialisation cause demand for recources

Answer 33

The shift in a countrie from primary production to secondry production causes and increase of manifacturing goods which uses lots of energy and water. It increases the production of processed goods which increases demand for ingredients causing huge plantations.

Question 34

Malthus’s Theory (18 th century)

Answer 34

He thought that the pop was increasing faster than supply of resources available. He believed that when this happenes people would be killed by catastrophese like famine and the pop would level out.

Question 35

Boserup’s theory (20th century)

Answer 35

Her theort is that however big the world’s pop grew people would always produce sufficient recources to meet their needs. She thought that if the recources became limited, people will come up with new ways to aviod hardship.