The Living World Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
A complex natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment.
Give examples of different scales of ecosystems.
Small -pond
Global - Biomes
What are biotic and abiotic features of ecosystems?
Biotic - plants, animals, fish
Abiotic - climate, soil, light
What are the 6 key features of an ecosystem?
Producers, consumers, a food chain, a food web, decomposers, nutrients cycle.
What do producers do?
Convert energy from the sun by photosynthesis into carbohydrates for growth
What do consumers do?
Get their energy from eating producers, creating food chains and webs
What does a decomposer do?
Break down dead plants and animals to add nutrients to the soil
What is the nutrients cycle?
The nutrients the decomposers produced is used by plants
What natural changes can affect an ecosystem?
Climate change has created extreme weather - droughts can kill fish which breaks the food chain
Human changes that impact ecosystems?
Removal of hedgerows, fertilisers, woods being cut down, draining ponds.
What is a biome?
Usually defined by the dominant type of vegetation growing there
What determines climate and characteristics of ecosystems?
Global Atmospheric Circulation
Which was do the biome belts cross the earth.
West to East
Where are tropical rainforests found?
A few degrees either side of the equator.
Climate of rainforests?
High rainfall and high temperatures all year.
What are latosols and why are they important?
They are the type of soils in rainforests and are very infertile due to leaching from heavy rain
Why is the biodiversity of tropical rainforest extraordinary?
Because they have adapted to a fragile ecosystem that is vulnerable to change.
What percentage of Malaysia is covered by tropical rainforest.
67%
What are the causes of deforestation in Malaysia?
Logging, Road construction, energy development, mineral extraction, population pressure, commercial farming, subsistence farming
What are the impacts of deforestation in Malaysia?
Soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, climate change
Economic gains of deforestation?
Job creation, Tax revenue, Infrastructure, HEP, mineral sale
Economic losses of deforestation?
Water pollution, fires, rising temperature could devastate farming, medicines from plants become extinct, less tourism
Which countries have the highest rates of deforestaion?
Brazil, Indonesia, Myanmar
Why should rainforests be protected?
Biodiversity, climate change, resources, threats to indigenous people
