Rainforests Flashcards
What percentage of marine rubbish is plastic?
90%
What is the definition of climate change?
“The change in the average weather conditions (temp+rainfall) experienced in a specific area as a result of natural or human activities.”
What is an ecosystem?
A natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment
What are the living components in an ecosystem called?
biotic
What are the non-living components in an ecosystem called?
abiotic
What is the definition of producer?
Something that converts energy from environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars (glucose).
where do consumers get energy from?
From the sugars produced by the producers
What are decomposers?
Decomposers break down plant and animal matter and return the nutrients to the soil, eg bacteria and fungi.
what % of the world’s land surface do TRFs cover?
Used to be 14%, now only 6%
what % of plants and animals come from the TRF?
over half
what % of medicines come from the TRF?
about 25%
how many species per hectare in a TRF?
over 100
What is the average temperature in TRFs?
about 32 degrees
What are lianas?
Woody creepers rooted to the ground but have their leaves and flowers when they climb up trees
what are epiphytes?
plants that grow on other plants that aren’t rooted to the soil- they get their nutrients from sunlight and water instead
In the nutrient cycle, what connects soil -> biomass?
uptake by plants
In the nutrient cycle, what connects biomass -> litter?
fallout as tissues die
In the nutrient cycle, what connects litter -> soil?
release as litter is decomposed by decomposers
In the nutrient cycle, what comes in at soil?
input weathered from rock
In the nutrient cycle, what comes in at litter?
input dissolved in rainfall from atmosphere
In the nutrient cycle, what leaves at soil?
loss by leaching
In the nutrient cycle, what leaves at litter?
loss in runoff
What are waxy drip tip leaves?
Leaves that enable water to run off, preventing algae from growing, which would block the plant’s ability to photosynthesise.
It also prevents the leaf from becoming too heavy and breaking.
The water than runs off will also reach the roots easier
How are leaves adapted in size in TRFs?
Since there is limited sunlight, a plant’s leaves will grow in size as the plant grows higher
what does keystone species mean?
an organism that holds an ecosystem together
what does carbon sink mean?
a store of carbon
What is transpiration?
Where the water on the leaves of vegetation are evaporated because of sunlight
What is the top layer of the TRF called?
the emergent
What % of the light does the shrub layer recieve?
less than 2%
What are the long term economic losses of developing the rainforests? (4)
- pollution of water, water shortages, drier climates makes it harder to farm (or grow actual trees??)
- rising temperatures devastate some farms like fruit and flowers
- number of tourists decreases
- hydroelectric power dams are not sustainable as they can only be used for about ten years
What are the short term economic gains of developing the rainforests? (4)
- quick money, jobs and development
- taxes for gov can improve education and healthcare
- cheap hydroelectric energy
- mining can find valuables such as gold
What is interception?
where vegetation catches precipitation
What is mineral extraction?
the removal of solid materials from the earth (ores eg iron, precious stones eg diamonds and fuels eg coals)
What is selective logging?
The cutting out of trees that are mature or inferior to encourage growth of the remaining trees in a forest or wood
What are buttress roots?
Roots that are wide, not deep, so the
tree can still hold on to the ground without wasting resources sending roots downwards into infertile soil
Are tropical soils infertile or fertile?
infertile
What are stilt roots?
Similar to buttress roots they provide support as they are anchored to the shallow rainforest soil