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Sustaining ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

Why are tropical rainforest soils considered to be amongst the poorest in the world? [3 marks]

A
  • Quantity of biomass - large uptake from soil
  • Productive ecosystem
  • Rapid decay

Due to these, there are few minerals in soil

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2
Q

Why is tropical forests’ soil low in fertility (1 answer)

A

Due to the large plant uptake

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3
Q

Draw the nutrient cycle (both the transfers and inputs/outputs)

A
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4
Q

Describe biomass

A

Total dry mass of all the populations of a species in an ecosystem

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5
Q

Describe Litter

A

Dead plant material (mainly fallen leaves)

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6
Q

Describe soil

A

A mixture of weathered rock and organic matter (decomposed plants)

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7
Q

Describe surface runoff

A

Rainwater that takes away the nutrients from the litter.

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8
Q

Describe leaching

A

The loss of nutrients as water absorbs them from the soil.

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9
Q

Describe littering

A

When dead leaves fall from plants.

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10
Q

State the tiers of the food chain

A
  1. Producers
  2. Primary consumers
  3. Secondary consumers
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11
Q

What are apex predators?

A

Predators that are top of the food chain, without natural predators

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12
Q

Why is energy lost between the levels of the food chain?

A

Energy is lost through heat, functions such as breathing and movement, excretion, wastage (uneaten food).

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13
Q

Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tropical forests

A

Fauna - a wide range of birds, reptiles insects and climbing mammals

Flora - tall trees forming a canopy, wide variety of species

Climate - Hot all year, high rainfall

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14
Q

Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tundra

A

Fauna - migrating animals

Flora - small plants grow close to the ground and only in the summer

Climate - cold winters, cool summers. Low rainfall

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15
Q

Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tropical grasslands

A

Fauna - herds of grazing animals

Flora - grassland with widely spaced trees

Climate - warm all year, wet and dry seasons

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16
Q

Describe the fauna, flora and climate of deserts

A

Fuana - animals adapted to living in dry conditions

Flora - lack of plants and few species, adapted to drought

Climate - hot during the day, cold nights. Very low rainfall

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17
Q

Describe the fauna, flora and climate of temperate forests

A

Fauna - animals adapted to changing seasons, some hibernate

Flora - mainly deciduous (sheds leaves) trees; a variety of species

Climate - warm summers and mild winters, variable rainfall

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18
Q

Describe the fuana, flora and climate of coral reefs

A

Fauna - coral

Flora - a wide range of seaweed, plankton and algae

Climate - tropical and subtropical oceans

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19
Q

Which is the only biome with rich soil?

A

Temperate forests

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20
Q

Where are tropical rainforests found?

A
  • Equatorial, Central and West Africa
  • South America
  • South-East Asia
  • Northern Australia
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21
Q

Where are tundra found?

A

High latitude, mostly above the arctic circle and often coastal

Inlcudes all of Greenland

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22
Q

Where are tropical grasslands found?

A

On the fringes of tropical rainforest, mainly between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn

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23
Q

Where are deserts found?

A

Mainly continental, but can exist in coastal strips

Found either side of tropics

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24
Q

Where are temperate forests found?

A
  • Western Europe
  • Northern America
25
Q

Where are coral reefs found?

A

Exclusively coastal. Mostly in the tropics.

26
Q

What are biomes?

A

Large natural ecosystems on a global scale

27
Q

What characteristics make a productive ecosystem?

A

Hot and wet ones (e.g. tropical rainforests)

28
Q

State and describe the 4 components of the structure of the rainforest structure

A

Emergent trees grow tall to find sunlight (to photosynthesise)

Canopy (layer) forms a continuous layer, blocking light.

An under-canopy of younger trees grow in the gaps

Shrub layer - little light penetrates the canopy so few shrubs grow.

29
Q

Why is litter and soil small in tropical rainforests?

A

Rapid decomposition and large plant uptake respectively.

30
Q

Describe the water cycle in a tropical rainforest

A
  • heavy daily conventional rain
  • trees intercept rain
  • some rain reaches ground
  • trees take up water
  • water evaporates (from grounds and plants transpiring)
  • water vapour cools as cloud
  • process repeats

It is largely a closed system (no inputs or outputs)

31
Q

Describe the 3 layers in the soil of tropical rainforests

A

Top soil - shallow, mixture of organic material and minerals

Sub-soil - deep due to weathering of rock below

(Bed)rock - weathers quickly at high temperates

32
Q

State 5 human activities in the rainforest and other information where needed

A
  • rubber tapping - sustainable
  • loging (trees cut down)
  • mining
  • cattle ranching - largest cause of deforestation
  • Farming (fertiliser needed)
33
Q

What are some effects of deforestation?

A
  • ecosystem damaged
  • less nutrients in ecosystem
  • more surface runoff
  • affects fauna and flora
34
Q

What are some goods/services found in the rainforest?

A

Goods:

  • mahagony wood
  • minerals
  • metal ores
  • medicine (e..g vincristine)

Services:
- tourism

35
Q

Name it and describe 4 features of one sustainable rainforest management example

A

Ecotourism in Lapa Rios, Costa Rica

Leftover food is fed to pigs, reducing waste. Collect biogas from pigs waste to fuel kitchen.

Raised walkways which link the huts together which protects forest floor so it does not damage fauna and flora.

Small area is used for tourists so the area protected is much larger.

Local people are employed which gives them a livelihood of protecting the rainforest, not destroying it. They can spread their understanding of the need for rainforest protection to fellow locals.

36
Q

Describe the climate of the Arctic and Antarctica

A

Arctic:

  • Low temperature and rainfall
  • As temp increases, rainfall increases
  • Highest in June-July, lowest in December-March

Antartica:

  • temperature varies
  • precipitation lowest in July-August, highest in December-February (but still low)
37
Q

What are ice sheets?

A

Layers of snow that have turned to ice

38
Q

What is permafrost and an active layer? How do they change as they move towards the North Pole?

A

Permafrost - area where frozen all year. There is more of it (continuous) when closer to the North Pole.

Active layer - the upper layer of soil (above permafrost) that thaws (becomes liquid or softens) in the summer. It is deeper as it moves away from the North Pole.

39
Q

What is an ice shelf?

A

Where the ice meets the sea

40
Q

What is an iceberg?

A

A large piece of ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf

41
Q

Why are the plants of Antarctica lower plant groups (like fungi)?

A

To adapt to the extreme environment (such as dehydration and lower temperatures)

42
Q

Name 2 features of Arctic flora?

A
  • Bowl shapes (to follow the sun around the sky)
  • Deep roots (active layer is shallow)
43
Q

Name some fauna of the Arctic

A
  • Polar Bear
  • Reindeer
  • Arctic Fox

Other:

  • Walruses
  • Seals
  • Dolphins
  • Orca

(should know top 3)

44
Q

Name the most common bird and two marine mammals in Antarctica

A

Penguins

Whales, Seals

45
Q

What is the albedo effect? How does climate change affect it?

A

Light surfaces reflect more heat than dark surfaces.

Cliamte change causes more ice to melt, which lowers the albedo of the Earth, which warms the Earth as more heat is absorbed from the sun.

46
Q

Is the Arctic or Antarctica mainly ocean?

A

The Arctic

47
Q

Why is there more permafrost close to the North Pole?

A

It gets colder the further you go to the North Pole. Receives less energy from the sun

48
Q

Why is the active layer deeper closer to the Arctic Circle?

A

It gets warmer towards the arctic circle. Receives more energy from the sun (more solar insolation, no/reduced ozone layer)

49
Q

Where are tundra and permafrost found? (Arctic or Antarctica)

A

The Arctic

50
Q

Why are houses built on stilts in the Actic?

A

To prevent heat from the houses melting the permafrost

51
Q

How are traditional inuit activities sustainable? What is the alternative?

A

They only take the resources they need, no more.

The alternative would be importing food which has a high carbon cost and is a poor diet.

52
Q

How is the Inuit way of life at risk?

A

Ice is melting, so they have less space to hunt on.

53
Q

Why does climate change make it easier to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic?

A

It is easier to explore for oil because there is less ice coverage. They can also drill for more of the year

54
Q

What are the 3 threats of this increase in shipping routes in the area?

A
  • Diplomatic tension over land disputes
  • Risk of oil spills
  • Disurpion to inuit way of life
55
Q

Why are oil spillages such a problem?

A

Because they cause irrepearable damage to the ecoystem. It harms/kills fish, so species then migrate to other ecosystems and disrupt the food chain and interdependence.

56
Q

What company does mineral exploitation?
What is the ecological impact?
What are the health impacts?

A

Norilsk Nickel (in Norilsk)

2m tonnes of Sulfur Dioxide are emitted a year, this causes acid rain which kills plants (such as trees) which damages the ecosystem and the nutrient cycle is disrupted as there is less decomposition.

Increased risk of cancer. Life expectancy is 10 year lower than the Russian average. Respiratory problems are common.

57
Q

Give one example of sustainable management in the Arctic. Give the location and details.

A

Whale Sanctuary in Clyde River, North-West Canada

It was set up to protect Bowhead whales due to over-exploitation

It is surrounded by Tundra, has cold water and deep troughs and there is diverse Arctic fauna

It is situated near a breeding area and rich feeding area.

There are restrictions on human activity, such as commerical fishing, which makes it sustainable and reduce the disruption to the whales’ way of life.

It spreads awareness of the importance of conservation.

58
Q

Name a global example of Sustainable Management in Antarctica. Give details. Why has it been so successful? What are 3 challenges to it?

A

Antarctica Treaty (1961)

12 countries originally signed up, 52 currently

It prohibits weapons/nuclear testing, does not recognise any country’s claim to land, countries share scientific discoveries.

It has made significant contributions to scientific knowledge such as the ozone layer and climate change. Increased international co-operation.

Challenges: tourism, fishing, climate change

59
Q

Why are high temperatures ideal for ecosystems?

A

High temps means more wate is evaporated (less leeching), weathering of rocks occurs quicker and liekly more sunlight for photosynthesis

They will be productive

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