Sustaining ecosystems Flashcards
Why are tropical rainforest soils considered to be amongst the poorest in the world? [3 marks]
- Quantity of biomass - large uptake from soil
- Productive ecosystem
- Rapid decay
Due to these, there are few minerals in soil
Why is tropical forests’ soil low in fertility (1 answer)
Due to the large plant uptake
Draw the nutrient cycle (both the transfers and inputs/outputs)
Describe biomass
Total dry mass of all the populations of a species in an ecosystem
Describe Litter
Dead plant material (mainly fallen leaves)
Describe soil
A mixture of weathered rock and organic matter (decomposed plants)
Describe surface runoff
Rainwater that takes away the nutrients from the litter.
Describe leaching
The loss of nutrients as water absorbs them from the soil.
Describe littering
When dead leaves fall from plants.
State the tiers of the food chain
- Producers
- Primary consumers
- Secondary consumers
What are apex predators?
Predators that are top of the food chain, without natural predators
Why is energy lost between the levels of the food chain?
Energy is lost through heat, functions such as breathing and movement, excretion, wastage (uneaten food).
Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tropical forests
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
Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tundra
Fauna - migrating animals
Flora - small plants grow close to the ground and only in the summer
Climate - cold winters, cool summers. Low rainfall
Describe the fauna, flora and climate of tropical grasslands
Fauna - herds of grazing animals
Flora - grassland with widely spaced trees
Climate - warm all year, wet and dry seasons
Describe the fauna, flora and climate of deserts
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
Describe the fauna, flora and climate of temperate forests
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
Describe the fuana, flora and climate of coral reefs
Fauna - coral
Flora - a wide range of seaweed, plankton and algae
Climate - tropical and subtropical oceans
Which is the only biome with rich soil?
Temperate forests
Where are tropical rainforests found?
- Equatorial, Central and West Africa
- South America
- South-East Asia
- Northern Australia
Where are tundra found?
High latitude, mostly above the arctic circle and often coastal
Inlcudes all of Greenland
Where are tropical grasslands found?
On the fringes of tropical rainforest, mainly between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
Where are deserts found?
Mainly continental, but can exist in coastal strips
Found either side of tropics
Where are temperate forests found?
- Western Europe
- Northern America
Where are coral reefs found?
Exclusively coastal. Mostly in the tropics.
What are biomes?
Large natural ecosystems on a global scale
What characteristics make a productive ecosystem?
Hot and wet ones (e.g. tropical rainforests)
State and describe the 4 components of the structure of the rainforest structure
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.
Why is litter and soil small in tropical rainforests?
Rapid decomposition and large plant uptake respectively.
Describe the water cycle in a tropical rainforest
- 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)
Describe the 3 layers in the soil of tropical rainforests
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
State 5 human activities in the rainforest and other information where needed
- rubber tapping - sustainable
- loging (trees cut down)
- mining
- cattle ranching - largest cause of deforestation
- Farming (fertiliser needed)
What are some effects of deforestation?
- ecosystem damaged
- less nutrients in ecosystem
- more surface runoff
- affects fauna and flora
What are some goods/services found in the rainforest?
Goods:
- mahagony wood
- minerals
- metal ores
- medicine (e..g vincristine)
Services:
- tourism
Name it and describe 4 features of one sustainable rainforest management example
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.
Describe the climate of the Arctic and Antarctica
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)
What are ice sheets?
Layers of snow that have turned to ice
What is permafrost and an active layer? How do they change as they move towards the North Pole?
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.
What is an ice shelf?
Where the ice meets the sea
What is an iceberg?
A large piece of ice that has broken off a glacier or an ice shelf
Why are the plants of Antarctica lower plant groups (like fungi)?
To adapt to the extreme environment (such as dehydration and lower temperatures)
Name 2 features of Arctic flora?
- Bowl shapes (to follow the sun around the sky)
- Deep roots (active layer is shallow)
Name some fauna of the Arctic
- Polar Bear
- Reindeer
- Arctic Fox
Other:
- Walruses
- Seals
- Dolphins
- Orca
(should know top 3)
Name the most common bird and two marine mammals in Antarctica
Penguins
Whales, Seals
What is the albedo effect? How does climate change affect it?
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.
Is the Arctic or Antarctica mainly ocean?
The Arctic
Why is there more permafrost close to the North Pole?
It gets colder the further you go to the North Pole. Receives less energy from the sun
Why is the active layer deeper closer to the Arctic Circle?
It gets warmer towards the arctic circle. Receives more energy from the sun (more solar insolation, no/reduced ozone layer)
Where are tundra and permafrost found? (Arctic or Antarctica)
The Arctic
Why are houses built on stilts in the Actic?
To prevent heat from the houses melting the permafrost
How are traditional inuit activities sustainable? What is the alternative?
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.
How is the Inuit way of life at risk?
Ice is melting, so they have less space to hunt on.
Why does climate change make it easier to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic?
It is easier to explore for oil because there is less ice coverage. They can also drill for more of the year
What are the 3 threats of this increase in shipping routes in the area?
- Diplomatic tension over land disputes
- Risk of oil spills
- Disurpion to inuit way of life
Why are oil spillages such a problem?
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.
What company does mineral exploitation?
What is the ecological impact?
What are the health impacts?
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.
Give one example of sustainable management in the Arctic. Give the location and details.
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.
Name a global example of Sustainable Management in Antarctica. Give details. Why has it been so successful? What are 3 challenges to it?
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
Why are high temperatures ideal for ecosystems?
High temps means more wate is evaporated (less leeching), weathering of rocks occurs quicker and liekly more sunlight for photosynthesis
They will be productive
