The Living World Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
A community of abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors living and interacting with each other.
What is a biome?
A global scale ecosystem.
What is a producer?
They convert energy from the environment into sugars (photosynthesis).
What is a consumer?
They get energy from the sugars from the environment.
What is a decomposer?
They break down plant and animal material, returning the nutrients to the soil (bacteria/fungi etc).
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Along the equator between the tropics, 23º North and South of the equator in the Hadley Cell.
What are the characteristics of tropical rainforests?
2000ml of rain per year, hot, sunny, rainy, low pressure system.
How much of the Earth’s surface is covered by tropical rainforests?
How much of the world’s oxygen is contained by rainforests?
How much of ALL life is in tropical rainforests?
6-7%
20%
50%
What is the biggest store in the rainforest?
Biomass
Describe the adaptations in the rainforest.
- Lianas - Vines/roots that dangle to absorb nutrients from the air and water.
- Epiphytes - Cling to trees and climb to sunlight.
- Drip Tip Leaves - Shed water quickly, conical shape, waxy leaves.
- Buttress Roots - Large roots to stabilise tree and get lots of nutrients.
Describe each layer of the rainforest.
- Forest floor - 2% of sunlight, bottom of rainforest.
- Under canopy
- Canopy - Highest biodiversity of species.
- Emergent layer - 100% sunlight, highest layer.
What is deforestation?
Cutting down of trees.
What are some effects (4) of deforestation?
Disrupted water cycles, increased soil erosion, reduced biodiversity and the release of greenhouse gases.
How much of all medicines come from the rainforest?
1/4.
How much of the world’s biodiversity does the Amazon Rainforest have?
10%.
