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Geography AQA GCSE: Paper 1 > Section B: The Living World > Flashcards

Section B: The Living World Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

A natural system where biotic and abiotic components interact in an area.

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2
Q

What do abiotic components refer to? Give three examples.

A

Non-living environmental factors that have an influence over the ecosystem. Eg: soil, climate and light exposure.

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3
Q

What do biotic components refer to? Give two examples.

A

Living organisms that interact with the environment. Eg: plants and animals.

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4
Q

What are the two types of ecosystems?

A
  1. Small-scale ecosystems that are local
  2. Global ecosystems that cover large reigons of the world
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5
Q

What are the three things can organisms in an ecosystem be classed as?

A
  1. Producers
  2. Consumers
  3. Decomposers
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6
Q

Give an example of a producer and its role.

A

They are organisms that convert energy (from the sun) to produce food through photosynthesis. Eg: grass.

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7
Q

Give an example of a consumer and its role.

A

Consumers get their energy from eating other organisms. Eg: foxes.

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8
Q

Give an example of a decomposer and its role.

A

They break down organic material and release the nutrients into the soil. Eg: fungi.

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9
Q

What does a food chain show and what does it look like?

A

They show how producers and consumers interact (what eats what). They are usually depicted in a straight line and the arrows display the transfer of energy.

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10
Q

Give an example of a food chain.

A

Grass → Rabbit → Fox

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11
Q

What does a food web show?

A

Food webs show how producers and consumers interact through multiple food chains.

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12
Q

What is the nutrient cycle?

A
  1. When dead material decomposes, nutrients are released into the soil
  2. Plants absorb nutrients to grow
  3. Plants either die or are eaten by consumers
  4. Consumers/plants die and their nutrients are returned to the soil
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13
Q

What is a biome?

A

It is a global ecosystem that has similar environmental characteristics such as climate, vegetation and soil over one area.

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14
Q

What are the 8 main biomes?

A
  1. Tundra
  2. Coniferous Forest
  3. Temperate Deciduous Forest
  4. Temperate Grassland
  5. Savannah
  6. Desert
  7. Tropical Rainforest
  8. Polar
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15
Q

What are the characteristics of the tundra?

A
  • Located at latitudes above 60° N such as Canada
  • Harsh, cold winters and brief summers
  • Little rain so only shrubs and grass
  • Soils are permanently frozen (permafrost)
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16
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of coniferous forests?

A
  • Located at latitudes (50-60°) and below the tundra
  • Trees are evergreen and have needles
  • Cold winters and mild summers
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17
Q

What are the characteristics of a temperate deciduous forest?

A
  • Found in mid-latitudes such as the UK
  • 4 seasons
  • Moderate precipitation
  • Trees lose their leaves in the winter
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18
Q

What are the 3 characteristics of a temperate grassland?

A
  • Located at higher latitudes such as Central Europe
  • Low precpitation
  • Vegetation is only grasses
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19
Q

What are the characteristics of the savannah?

A
  • Mainly found in Central Africa and India
  • Distinct wet and dry seasons
  • Wide expanses of grass
  • Houses herds and predators like lions
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20
Q

What are characteristics of the desert biome?

A
  • About 30° N and S of the equator
  • Extremly low rainfall
  • Very hot during the day and cold at night
  • Mainly has cacti and shrubs
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21
Q

What are the characteristics of a tropical rainforest?

A
  • Found along the equator
  • Hot and wet all year round
  • Home to many plant and animal species
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22
Q

What are the characteristcis of a polar biome?

A
  • Found at the north and south poles
  • Very cold and dry
  • Remain dark for half the year
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23
Q

What is the climate like in a tropical rainforest?

A
  • Climate is the same throughout the year
  • Has about 2000mm of rainfall annually
  • Temperature is around 26-27°C because the sun’s energy is intenser near the equator
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24
Q

What is the soil like in a tropical rainforest?

A

The soil is infertile as nutrients get washed away by the heavy rain. However plants are still able to grow due to the layer of surface nutrients above the soil.

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25
Q

What is leaching?

A

A process in soils where nutrients are washed away and dissolved by heavy rainfall.

26
Q

Explain how the nutrient cycle is faster in a tropical rainforest.

A
  1. Dead material decomposes rapidly due to the warm, moist conditions
  2. Nutrients enter the topsoil and are either leached or absorbed by plants
  3. Plants use these nutrients to grow rapidly and in this process shed leaves
27
Q

What does biodiversity mean?

A

The variety of animals and plants living in a particular area.

28
Q

What percentage of plant and animal species are found in the tropical rainforest?

A

Around 50%.

29
Q

Name three animals and three plants you would find in a tropical rainforest.

A

Jaguars, sloths and tree frogs.

Ferns, orchids and large trees.

30
Q

What are 5 ways that plants have adapted to conditions in a tropical rainforest?

A
  1. Buttress roots
  2. Drip-tips
  3. Lianas
  4. Epithytes
  5. Height
31
Q

What are buttress roots and why do trees have them?

A

They are large roots above the ground used to support tall trees. The roots are above the soil becuase in tropical rainforests, nutrients only stay on the surface.

32
Q

What are drip-tips and why do they help plants?

A

It is a tapered end on a leaf, allowing excess rainfall to quickly drip off the leaf. This ensures the weight of the rainwater doesn’t damage the plant and that there’s no standing water that can cause rot.

33
Q

What are lianas and why have some plants adapted to this?

A

Lianas are woody vines that have roots, but also wrap around trees in the canopy. They do this to absorb sunlight.

34
Q

What are epiphytes and why is this helpful to plants?

A

Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of other plants, usually to reach more sunlight. They also do this to receive nutrients from their host plant.

35
Q

How does height help trees survive in a tropical rainforest?

A

Trees in the emergent layer can reach up to 40m. Growing taller allows them to absorb more sunlight.

36
Q

How have howler monkeys adapted to survive in the tropical rainforest?

A

They have strong limbs to help them swing between trees in the canopy and avoid predators.

37
Q

How has camouflage helped animals survive in a tropical rainforest?

A

Leaf-tailed geckos are able to make themselves look like leaves to hide from predators.

38
Q

How have sloths adapted to living in the tropical rainforest?

A

They are nocturnal creatures, so they only feed at night when it’s cooler. This helps them save energy.

39
Q

How have smaller animals adapted to survive in the tropical rainforest?

A

Many frogs, snakes and spiders are either poisonous or release venom to deter predators from eating them.

40
Q

How are the soil, plants and climate interdependent in a tropical rainforest?

A
  • The warm and wet climate helps fungi decompose dead material rapidly
  • This makes the surface soil high in nutrients
  • Plants and trees are able to grow
  • Trees transpire and this transpired water condenses into rainclouds
41
Q

Why are plants and animals interdependent?

A
  • Plants provide food and shelter for animals
  • When animals die, they decompose and release nutrients into the soil
  • These nutrients are absorbed by plants so they can grow
42
Q

How do humans depend on plants in the tropical rainforest?

A

Humans rely on plants for food and shelter in the rainforest. Plants are also used for medicinal purposes.

43
Q

Where is the Amazon Rainforest and how big is it?

A

The Amazon is mainly located in Brazil (but borders parts of other South American countries) and spans an area of 8 million km.

44
Q

What is deforestation?

A

The permanent and usually large-scale removal of trees.

45
Q

How has the rate of deforestation changed globally?

A

Deforestation was at its peak in the 1980s, however more recently annual rates of deforestation are falling.

46
Q

In which year was deforestation in the Amazon the worst?

A

In 2004, where 20% of the forest in Mato Grosso (a Brazilian state) was converted to cropland.

47
Q

Where is the Amazon Rainforest and how big is it?

A

The Amazon is mainly located in Brazil (but borders parts of other South American countries) and covers an area of 7 million km².

48
Q

What percentage of the Amazon is expected to be deforested by 2050?

A

40%.

49
Q

What are the seven causes of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest?

A
  1. Commercial farming
  2. Subsistence farming
  3. Logging
  4. Road building
  5. Mineral extraction
  6. Energy development
  7. Population growth
50
Q

How has commercial farming caused deforestation in the Amazon?

A

Forests are cleared to make space for cattle and plantations. Around 60% of deforestation ocurring in the Amazon is due to cattle ranching and growing crops.

51
Q

What is subsistence farming and how does it cause deforestation?

A

Forests are cleared by small-scale farmers that need land to grow food for themselves and their family. 25% of trees cut down is due to subsistence farming.

52
Q

How does logging contribute to deforestation in the Amazon?

A

The Amazon has many valuable hardwood trees such as mahogany, which are then cut down to be made into furniture.

53
Q

Why does road building increase deforestation in the Amazon?

A

Large stretches of forest are cleared to make room for road construction. New roads are also built to provide access to more logging and mining areas.

54
Q

How does mineral extraction contribute to deforestation?

A

Some areas of the Amazon have vast reserves of metal and fossil fuels, which are extracted by mining. To do this, large areas of land need to be cleared for mining and roads transporting the resources.

55
Q

How does energy development contribute to deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest?

A

To produce hydroelectric energy, the Balbina Dam was built in Brazil and flooded 2400 km² of rainforest.

56
Q

How has population growth caused deforestation in the Amazon to increase?

A

To tackle overcrowding, the Brazilian government encourages people to move to the Amazon Rainforest. To accomodate to this, large areas of land have to be deforested to make space for settlements.

57
Q

How does deforestation in the Amazon affect climate change?

A

Trees in the Amzon store 140 billion tonnes of carbon. When the trees are cut down, the carbon is re-released into the atmosphere, which causes global warming.

58
Q

How does deforestation in the Amazon impact animals?

A
  • Animals’ habitats are destroyed and many species become endangered
  • Lack of transpiration from the trees also makes the air drier, increasing the risk of forest fires
59
Q

How is the soil affected by deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest?

A
  • Without tree roots holding the soil together, there will be more landslides
  • Fewer trees intercept rainfall, leading to more soil erosion and nutrients being washed away
60
Q

How has deforestation impacted Brazil’s economy positively?

A
  • Brazil is the largest exporter of beef, generating millions
  • Mining and logging industries creates jobs for locals
61
Q

How has deforestation impacted Brazil’s economy negatively?

A
  • Deforestation reduces tourist’s attraction to the Amazon
  • Many tribes who rely on the forest for shelter and food are endangered

Geography AQA GCSE: Paper 1 (3 decks)

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