People and the Biosphere

Question 1

What is a biome?

Answer 1

A large scale eco-system e.g. tropical rainforest

Question 2

What does latitude measure?

Answer 2

How far north or how far south a location on the earth’s surface is of the equator.

Question 3

What type of climate does a Temperate Forest have and where are they commonly found?

Answer 3

Mild and wet climate, for example UK and northern Europe.

Question 4

What determines what type of biome will form?

Answer 4

The Climate

Question 5

What are biotic and abiotic components?

Answer 5

Biotic=living parts of a biome e.g. plants and animals

Abiotic=non-living parts of a biome e.g. soil,water,rock,atmosphere.

Question 6

What does the Biosphere include?

Answer 6

All parts of Earth that are occupied by living organisms e.g. plants animals bacteria AND the soil and water that they live in.

Question 7

What does the biosphere provide?

Answer 7

Food, medicine, building materials and fuel.

Question 8

Give an example of why the biosphere is being exploited by companies

Answer 8

Because the demand for water is increasing due to increase in population, meaning underground water stores can be over-exploited, this is happening in the Sahara desert which damages the biosphere as the animals and plants don’t have enough water to survive.

Question 9

How does the biosphere help to control the proportion of different gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 9

Plants take in CO2 and give out Oxygen during photosynthesis. Animals take in oxygen and give out CO2 when they breathe.

Question 10

Why is maintaining a balance of gases in the atmosphere important?

Answer 10

Most living organisms need oxygen to survive.

Increased levels of CO2 lead to global warming.

Question 11

The Biosphere also helps to keep soil healthy, how?

Answer 11

Plant roots and animals spread nutrients through the soil. Vegetation intercepts rainfall from washing away nutrients in the soil-out of the reach of the plants.

Question 12

What is in the water cycle?

Answer 12

Water evaporates-clouds form-it rains-water runs to rivers and the sea-water THEN evaporates etc etc

Question 13

Give one biome that is located between the tropics of cancer and capricorn.

Answer 13

Tropical Rainforest.

Question 14

Describe the soil in Boreal Forests

Answer 14

Thin, very nutrient-poor and acidic.

Question 15

What impact does urbanisation have on demand for resources?

Answer 15

Urbanisation increases resource consumption due to cities being more resource-intensive e.g. street lights and water fountains. Also food and water have to be transported long distances to meet the increased demand in cities-increasing energy use.

Question 16

What is logging?

Answer 16

Removal of trees, so leads to deforestation

Question 17

Why are there little to no plants in the Tundra region?

Answer 17

The cold climate and lack of light make it hard for them to grow.

Question 18

Why are there only a few animal species found in the Tundra region?

Answer 18

Due to lack of vegetation and the cold climate.

Question 19

What does the biosphere include?

Answer 19

All parts of the Earth that are occupied by living organisms.

Question 20

What is the use of living organisms?

Answer 20

Living organisms provide loads of goods that people need to survive, these are usually used by indigenous people and others who live locally. For example food, medicine, building materials and fuel.

Question 21

Why is the biosphere exploited and who by?

Answer 21

The biosphere is exploited by companies for commercial gain (to make a profit).

Question 22

What is increasing the scale of commercial exploitation?

Answer 22

Increasing demand (growing population and consumerism) and improving technology are increasing the scale of commercial exploitation.

Question 23

Why is the demand for energy increasing?

Answer 23

The demand for energy is increasing as the population increases and people have more electronic devices e.g. laptops and phones.

Question 24

Why is de-forestation occurring?

Answer 24

Large areas of forest are cut down to clear land for growing crops that can be used as biofuels, or to make coal mines or power stations.

Question 25

How have some tropical forests been affected by the increasing demand for energy?

Answer 25

Some tropical forests have been flooded by the building of hydroelectric dams.

Question 26

What is permafrost?

Answer 26

The top layer of the Tundra that is permanently frozen solid.

Question 27

What are people doing that is damaging the biosphere by melting the permafrost through use of pipelines?

Answer 27

People are drilling for oil and gas in the tundra and therefore melting the permafrost (destroying habitat) and increasing sea levels.

Question 28

Why is the demand for water increasing?

Answer 28

Demand for water is increasing because of increases in global population- people use water for drinking, washing and irrigating farmland.

Question 29

How does over-exploitation of water resources affect areas?

Answer 29

Places like the Sahara desert are being over-exploited and this damages the biosphere as plants and animals no longer have enough water to survive.

Question 30

Why is the demand for minerals increasing?

Answer 30

The demand for minerals is increasing as they are used in building, scientific instruments and electrical appliances.

Question 31

How does the increasing demand for minerals damage the biosphere?

Answer 31

The increasing demand for minerals damages the biosphere because they are extracted by mining. Mining in tropical rainforests are responsible for deforestation and toxic chemicals are washed into streams and rivers killing wildlife.

Question 32

What is are the important jobs that the biosphere does?

Answer 32

The biosphere helps to control the proportion of different gases in the atmosphere (plants taking in CO2 and giving out O2 during photosynthesis).
It also helps to keep soil healthy and to regulate the water cycle.

Question 33

Why is maintaining the balance of gases in the atmosphere important?

Answer 33

Most living organisms need oxygen to survive
Increased levels of CO2 lead to global warming.
Increased levels of CO2 can also make the oceans acidic , affecting the organisms that live there.
Some CO2 is needed to keep the Earth warm enough to support life.

Question 34

Why is keeping soil healthy important?

Answer 34

Plant roots and animals spread nutrients through the soil which helps maintain soil structure and fertility so plants can grow. The roots of vegetation also hold the soil together, otherwise soil gets eroded by the wind and rain
Vegetation catches rainfall before it reaches the ground. This helps to prevent leaching where nutrients in the soil and washed downwards out of plants’ reach.

Question 35

Why is the regulation of the water cycle so important?

Answer 35

Water is taken up by plants so less reaches rivers, which prevents flooding and soil erosion.
Plants also help regulate the water cycle by storing water and releasing it into the atmosphere slowly. Large areas of forest e.g. the Amazon rainforest, can reduce the risk of drought ad flooding in areas a long way away.

Question 36

What, other than increasing population, also increases the demand for resources?

Answer 36

Increasing wealth, industrialisation and urbanisation are both increasing the demand for resources.

Question 37

Why does urbanisation increase the demand or resources?

Answer 37

Urbanisation tends to increase resource consumption because cities tend to be more resource-intensive due to street lights and neon signs needing energy as well as fountains that require water.
Also food and water have to be transported long distances to meet increased demand in cities and waste needs to be removed-this increases energy use.

Question 38

Why does industrialisation increase the demand for resources?

Answer 38

Because manufacturing goods such as cars and electrical appliances uses lots of energy- e.g. running the machines to shape them. Manufacturing also requires more water to wash their components. This increases the demand for energy and water.

Question 39

Why does increasing wealth increase the demand for resources?

Answer 39

Wealthier people have more disposable income so they have more money to spend on food and often buy more than they need. They can also afford cars, fridges and TV’s which all use energy. Producing these goods also requires lots of energy and water.
More people can afford flushing toilets showers and dishwashers which again increases energy use.

Question 40

What is Malthus’ theory?

Answer 40

Malthus (18th century) believed that population was increasing faster than supply of resources so eventually there wouldn’t be enough resources for the amount of people. He thought that only famine, illness and war would make the population return to a level that could be supported by the amount of resources available.

Question 41

What is Malthus’s theory?

Answer 41

Malthus (18th century) believed that population was increasing faster than supply of resources so eventually there wouldn’t be enough resources for the amount of people. He thought that only famine, illness and war would make the population return to a level that could be supported by the amount of resources available.

Question 42

What is Boserup’s theory?

Answer 42

Boserup (20th century) believed that however big the population grew people would always produce sufficient resources to meet their needs. She thought that people would come up with new ways to increase production e.g. technological advances.

Question 43

How does the biosphere keep the soil healthy?

Answer 43

Due to plant roots and animals spreading nutrients through it to maintain the soil structure and fertility- allowing it to grow

Question 44

How does the biosphere help to regulate the water cycle?

Answer 44

Plants take up the water to prevent flooding and they also store water and release it slowly into the atmosphere.

Question 45

What 2 ways gas technology improved food supplies?

Answer 45

Mechanisation means faster and more efficient production

Artificial light can create ideal conditions for plants that usually only grow in one area of the world