People and the Biosphere

Question 1

what is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

a grouping of plants and animals that interact with each other and their local environment

Question 2

what is a biome?

Answer 2

a large scale ecosystem

Question 3

what are the qualities of the vegetation in the desert biome?

Answer 3

plants are scarce and having water storing features

plants have spines instead of leaves and extensive root systems

Question 4

what is the climate like in the desert biome? Where is the desert biome on the globe?

Answer 4

very hot all year with cool nights and very low rainfall

close to the tropics of cancer and Capricorn

Question 5

what are the qualities of vegetation in the tropical biome?

Answer 5

dense forests with several layers of trees competing for light

Question 6

what is the climate like in the tropical biome?

Answer 6

hot all year with lots of rainfall

Question 7

where is the tropical biome on the globe?

Answer 7

either side of the equator

Question 8

what are the qualities of vegetation in the tundra biome?

Answer 8

very few plants, mostly lichens and mosses

trees are rare and small

Question 9

what is the climate like in the tundra biome?

Answer 9

temperatures below freezing most of the year
only gets to 10 degrees in summer
short days
little rainfall

Question 10

where is the tundra biome on the globe?

Answer 10

within the arctic circle

Question 11

what are the qualities of vegetation in the taiga biome?

Answer 11

coniferous trees

Question 12

what is the climate like in the taiga biome?

Answer 12

mild summers
very cold winters
average rainfall

Question 13

where is the taiga biome located on the globe?

Answer 13

high latitudes where the suns rays are weak

Question 14

what is the vegetation like in the temperate biome?

Answer 14

deciduous trees

Question 15

what is the climate like in the temperate biome?

Answer 15

warm summers
cool winters
precipitation all year

Question 16

where is the temperate biome on the globe?

Answer 16

below tundra

Question 17

what is biodiversity?

Answer 17

the variety of biotic components in an ecosystem

Question 18

what do nutrient cycles show?

Answer 18

how biotic and abiotic components interact

Question 19

what do the arrow sizes show on a nutrient cycle?

Answer 19

the size of the nutrient transfer between each store

Question 20

how does altitude affect the distribution of biomes?

Answer 20

different plants grow at different temperatures, the higher the altitude the lower the temperature

Question 21

how does rock and soil type affect the distribution of biomes?

Answer 21

soils can be acidic, alkaline or neutral depending on the rock type

Question 22

how does drainage affect the distribution of biomes?

Answer 22

some plants can grow with their roots in waterlogged soil or boggy areas whilst others prefer drier soils

Question 23

in what ways does the biosphere provide medicine?

how many drugs have rain forest origins?

Answer 23

poppies are the source of the painkiller morphine
the aloe plant has soothing properties
the periwinkle plant is used to treat leukaemia and Hodgkin’s disease
7000

Question 24

in what ways does the biosphere provide food?

Answer 24

natural vegetation can be replaced by crops like wheat and rice
sustainable harvesting of fruits and berries
fish and meat

Question 25

in what ways does the biosphere provide fuel?

Answer 25

woof from trees and shrubs animal dung bio-fuels

Question 26

in what ways does the biosphere provide building materials?

Answer 26

timber is essential for construction animal dung mixed with clay and straw to make bricks straw is used for roofing and insulation

Question 27

how does the biosphere regulate the water cycle?

Answer 27

plants intercept rain water reducing surface run off | plants increase infiltration

Question 28

how does the biosphere keep soil healthy?

Answer 28

leaves decompose which returns nutrients to the soil, making it fertile, allowing more plants to grow

Question 29

how does the biosphere regulate the gases that make up the atmosphere?

Answer 29

plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen for us the breathe in animals respire producing oxygen

Question 30

what is Malthus' theory?

Answer 30

it is impossible to increase food production as rapidly as population growth therefore if a population was allowed to grow too much the food supply will run out and people will die, reducing the population size

Question 31

what is Boserup's theory?

Answer 31

human innovation will be sparked by demands on resources so if there is high demand for food resources, new techniques will be developed to increase production

Question 32

what are biotic factors?

Answer 32

the living part of a biome made up of plant and animal life

Question 33

what are abiotic factors?

Answer 33

non living part of a biome including the soil, atmosphere, rock and water

Question 34

what are flora?

Answer 34

the plants of a particular region or habitat

Question 35

what are fauna?

Answer 35

the animals of a particular region or habitat

Question 36

what is drainage?

Answer 36

the ability of soil to allow water to flow away

Question 37

how does water exploit the biosphere?

Answer 37

increasing water demands has led to more agriculture and industry which needs water

Question 38

how does energy exploit the biosphere?

Answer 38

increased energy demands had led to the growth of biofuels, mining and dams meaning large areas of vegetation must be cleared oil underground can cause pollution

Question 39

how do mineral resources exploit the biosphere?

Answer 39

when mined, large areas of land must be cleared which reduces biodiversity in that area access to coal made easier by removing mountain tops

Question 40

how does fallout affect the nutrient cycle?

Answer 40

dead plants and animals become litter on the soil surface

Question 41

how does runoff affect the nutrient cycle?

Answer 41

water washes litter away, removing nutrients

Question 42

how does growth/uptake affect the nutrient cycle?

Answer 42

as plants grow, they take nutrients from the soil

Question 43

how does leaching affect the nutrient cycle?

Answer 43

nutrients are washed out of the soil as water moves through

Question 44

how does decay affect the nutrient cycle?

Answer 44

litter decomposes, returning nutrients to the soil

Question 45

how much % more do we extract from the biosphere today than 30 years ago?

Answer 45

50%

Question 46

how many times more do people in developed countries consume resources than those in developing countries?

Answer 46

10 times

Question 47

why have emerging countries experienced the greatest increase in resource consumption globally?

Answer 47

they have industrialised causing rapid urbanisation