People and biosphere Flashcards
1
Q
Abiotic components
A
The non-living parts eg. soil, water, rock, atmosphere
2
Q
Altitude
A
- higher altitudes are colder so less plants limiting animal species
- less organic matter so soil is thin
3
Q
Biome
A
Are large-scale global ecosystems with distinctive vegetation
4
Q
Biosphere
A
The living layer of Earth between the atmosphere and the lithosphere where all plants and animals are found
5
Q
Biotic compounds
A
The living parts of a biome eg. plants (flora) and animals (fauna)
6
Q
Consumers
A
Organisms that receive energy from consuming (eating) living organisms
7
Q
Decomposers
A
Organisms that break down organic material and release the nutrient back into the ecosystem
8
Q
Ecosystem
A
Includes all the living things and non-living things in an area
9
Q
Food chain
A
Shows the biotic interaction within an ecosystem, from a producer to a final consumer
10
Q
Water cycle
A
The movement of water between the land, bodies of water and the atmosphere
11
Q
Industrialisation
A
The development of the industrial sector in a country or region
12
Q
Nutrient cycle
A
The transfer of nutrients through an ecosystem, from the decay of organic material into the production of living organisms
13
Q
Producers
A
Organisms that convert energy from the environment into sugars
14
Q
Transpiration
A
The evaporation of water from plants
15
Q
Urbanisation
A
The increase in the proportion of the population living in urban areas
16
Q
Climate of a tropical forest
A
- same all year round
- stays around 20-28c
- near the equator
- high rainfall, rain everyday usually afternoon
17
Q
Characteristics of a tropical forests
A
- plants - evergreen trees take advantage of continual growing season, plants adapted to take in maximum light
- animals - dense vegetation means lots of food + habitats
- soil - leaves decompose so constant supply of nutrients in soil
18
Q
Climate in temperate forests
A
- 4 distinct seasons
- summers are warm, winters are cold
- rain all year round
- days are shorter in winter longer in summer
19
Q
Characteristics in temperate forests
A
- plants - broad-leaved trees drop leaves in autumn
- animals - range of plant provide food + habitat for mammals
- soil - leave litter decomposes quickly meaning nutrient-rich soil
19
Q
Climate in boreal forests
A
- short summer 10c
- long winters -20c
- low rainfall a lot falls as snow
- lots of daylight in summer but little to none in winter
20
Q
Characteristics of boreal forests
A
- plants - trees are evergreen/coniferous such as pine and fir
- animals - less food and animals need to be adapted to cold climates
- soil - needles from trees decompose slowly, soil thin, nutrient-poor and acidic
21
Q
Climate of tropical grasslands
A
- low rainfall 800-900mm per year
- distinct wet and dry seasons
- highest temp 35c lowest 15c
- found at equator so sunshine all year round
22
Q
Climate of temperate grasslands
A
- hot summers 40c
- cold winter -40c
- 250-500mm per year
- amount of light varies
23
Q
Characteristics of tropical grasslands
A
- mostly grass, shrubs and small plants
- some wildlife
- grass dies in dry season grows back nutrient-rich soil
24
Characteristics of temperate grasslands
- dominated by grass and small plants very few trees
- some mammals are bison, wild horses and elephants
25
Climate of deserts
- low rainfall less than 250mm per year
- hot in day (45c) to cold nights (0c)
- get lots of hours of sunshine
26
Characteristics of deserts
- plants - sparse, only a few plant (cacti, thornbushes)
- animals - few animals species, adapted to cpe in conditions
- soil - little leaf litter and dry climate organic matter slow to decompose
27
Climate of tundra
- temperatures are low (5-10c0
- precipitation loq (250mm per year) most falls as snow
- high latitudes so near-continuous daylight in summer and near to none in winter
28
Characteristics in tundra
- plants - hard for plants to grow, hardly any trees mainly mosses, grasses and low shrubs
- animals - little vegetation (arctic hares and foxes), birds migrate south for winter
- soil - little leaf litter organic matter decomposes slowly, soil nutrient-poor, layer of permafrost can stop water from draining away
29
What are 4 different local factors that affects biomes
- altitude
- rock type
- soil type
- drainage
30
How does water availability affect a biome
- affects plants growth
- if soil dry only cacti will survive
- plants take in water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere
31
How does the biosphere provide for indigenous people
- food - some pick berries and some hunt food others grow crops
- medicine - lots of plants have medicinal properties used to create over 7000 drugs
- building materials - used for furniture, sap can be used as glue
- fuel - use wood, moss and dried grass to cook food
32
3 ways humans exploit the biosphere
- energy
- water
- minerals
33
how do humans exploit energy in the biosphere
- demand increasing as population increases and more electronic devices
- large areas cut down in forest to grow crops for biofuels/coal mines/power stations
- some areas flooded by hydroelectric dams
- drilling for oil and gas in tundra damages biosphere as pipelines are melting permafrost
34
How do humans exploit water in the biosphere
- demand increasing as global populations increases
- underground water stores can be over-exploited occurring in arid areas
- causing plants and animals not having enough water to survive
35
How do humans exploit minerals in the biosphere
- demand for gold and iron is increasing
- minerals extracted by mining
- mines in tropical forests cause deforestation and toxic chemicals washed into streams killing wildlife
- open pit mining removes large areas of land surface
36
How does the biosphere regulate gases in the biosphere
- plants take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen
- animals take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide
37
Why is maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere important
- most living organisms need oxygen to survive
- more CO2 leads to global warming
- more CO2 can make oceans acidic affecting wildlife living there
- some CO2 is needed to keep Earth warm enough to support life
38
How does the biosphere maintain the soil nutrients and structure
- plants root and animals spread nutrients through the soil maintains soil structure
- roots of vegetation hold the soil together without this soil can be eroded by wind and rain
- vegetation intercepts rainfall before it reaches the ground
39
How is the biosphere important on the water cycle
- water taken up by plants so less reaches rivers helps prevent flooding and soil erosion
- plants store water and release it into the atmosphere slowly
- large areas of forests can reduce the risk of drought and flooding
40
Factors that increase demand on resources
- population growth
- increasing wealth
- urbanisation
- industrialisation
41
Demand for resources - increasing wealth
- economic development means people are getting wealthier
- more disposable income meaning more money for food, cars, fridges which uses energy
- more people afford flushing toilets, showers increasing water use
42
Demand for resources - urbanisation
- cities tend to be more resource-intensive then rural areas - street lights use energy and fountains require water
- food and water have to be transported and waste needs to be removed increasing energy use
43
Demand for resources - industrialisation
- manufacturing goods use a lot of energy and water
- when countries become more industrialised demand for energy and water increases
- increase in production of processed goods, increasing demand for ingredients like palm oil which are often grown on huge plantations
44
Malthus's theory
- population increasing faster than supply of resources
- he believed when this happened illness and war would kill everyone until they got to a point where the population would return to a level supported by resources available
45
Boserup's theory
- however big the population grew their would always be enough resources to meet their needs
- if resources become limited we would think of new ways to increase production
