People and The Biosphere Flashcards
What is the biosphere?
- the living layer of the earth
- between the lithosphere and atmosphere
What is a biome?
-a large scale ecosystem that can be mapped on the earth
What are the different biomes
Tundra Mediterranean Savannah grassland Polar Temperate grassland Deciduous forest Coniferous forest Hot desert Tropical rainforest
What 3 thing impact the location and characteristics of each biome?
Temperature
Sunshine
Precipitation and water availablity
How does temperature impact the location and characteristics of each biome?
Most plants need +5 degrees to grow
A long period above this temperature benefit many species
How does sunshine impact the location and characteristics of each biome?
Sunshine hours and intensity boosts photosynthesis and growth
How does precipitation and water availability impact the location and characteristics of each biome?
Plants need water to grow
More plants can grow if precipitation is spread across the year
What is an ecosystem?
A small scale area made up of living and non living things
What is a local factor?
Alter animal and plant species in a biome
What are 3 local factors?
Rock type
Water availability and drainage
Altitude
How is rock type a local factor?
When rocks undergo chemical weathering they release helical into the soil-creates acidic, alkaline or neutral soils
What tree grows in acidic soil?
Birch
What tree grows in alkaline soil?
Beech and Ash
What tree grows in neutral soil?
Oak
How is water availability and drainage a local factor?
Some plant prefer waterlogged or boggy areas some plants like dries soils How wet depends on -Amount of precipitation -Amount evaporation from soil -How permeable the soil is
How is altitude a local factor?
Temperature drops around 6.5 degrees for every 1000m increase in height.
At high altitude freezing is common
-limits plant variety that can grow
-water may freeze-can absorb water
-rainfall increases with height-some pant can grow in boggy areas
What are goods?
Physical material
What is a service?
Function that the biome performs
What are the services biomes provide?
Supporting:keeps the ecosystem healthy
Regulating:these keep the whole planet healthy
Cultural:benefits people get from visiting/living in healthy ecosystem
What is the term indigenous people?
The original people of a region, some of which still lead transitional lifestyles
Ecosystem services for indigenous people case study- Efe in the Congo basin
- small circular houses made from wood, leaves-temporary is they are monodic hunters
- wood for cooking comes from forest floor
- hunt monkey and anterior for bushmeat and fish in rivers
- plant and honey is used to make traditional medicines
What are some examples of exploration of the ecosystem services?
- slash and burn/shifting cultivation
1. farmers cut & burn forest
2. ash from burning add nutrient to soil
3. land farmed for 5-6 yes but fertility is lost & farmers move to another area - TNCs and gov for beef
- palm oil and cocoa beans
- logging
- Dam (HEP) & water supply to cities
- mining metal ores
Why do people’s view on the protection of the biomes differ?
- financial opportunities-gov,TNCs etc
- home & living space-indigenous tribes
- pressure groups believe damage cannot be reversed & threats future
- young people see value on regulating
- people living where biomes are not under threat-less aware of threat
What is the role biomes play on creating a healthy planet?
- important carbon sink
- store CO2 by removing it form atmosphere-locked in biotic material-called carbon sequestration
- process called photosynthesis
