The living world Flashcards
Ecosystem
All the biotic and abiotic parts of an area. The way they interact with each other.
Biotic
Living things
e.g. Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi.
Abiotic
Non living things
e.g. Sun, water, temperature, gas, soil, rocks.
What is an example of biotic and abiotic things in an ecosystem and how they interact?
A plant grows with the help of sun, water, and gasses. Without these it cannot grow.
Global ecosystem
Large scale ecosystem (rain forest or deserts) also known as biomes.
Local ecosystem
Small scale ecosystem (pond, hedgerow, woodlands)
What things may influence an ecosystem?
- Human activity
- Amount of rain
- Latitude
- Distance from the equator
Producers
Producers convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars (glucose).
Examples of producers
The most obvious producers are plants that convert energy from the sun by photosynthesis. Waterlily, bulrush, marsh marigold, algae
Consumers
Consumers get energy from the sugars produced by producers.
Examples of consumers
A pond snail is a good example of a consumer because it eats plants. Heron, duck, small fish.
Decomposers
Decomposers breakdown plant and animal material and return the nutrients to the soil.
Examples of decomposers
Bacteria and fungi are good examples because they eat plants. Water flea, water worm, maggot.
Food chain
Shows the direct links between producers and consumers in the form of a simple line.
Food web
Shows all the connections between producers and consumers in more complex way.
Nutrient cycle
Nutrients are foods that are used by plants or animals to grow. When the plants or animals die, the decomposers help to recycle the nutrients making them available once again for the growth of plants or animals.
What are the 2 main sources of nutrients?
- rain water washes chemicals out of the atmosphere
- weathered rock releases nutrients into the soil
What are the changes within an ecosystem?
- Hunting (removing a top predator)
- Introduction of new species
- Diseases (can change and alter an ecosystem)
- Extreme weather events (floods, fires, droughts)
Tropical rain forest fact file (5)
- Location: around the equator
- Country example: Malaysia
- Weather/climate: Hot and wet
- Animals: toucan, jaguar
- Plants: dense canopies of vegetation
Hot desert fact file (5)
- Location: between 15’ and 35’ north and south of the equator
- Country example: Egypt
- Weather/climate: Very hot in the day and very cold at night
- Animals: camel, thorny devil
- Plants: Plants and cacti scarcely distributed
What kind of air pressure is at the equator?
Low pressure
What kind of air pressure at the Tropics?
High pressure
What are the factors that influence biome location?
- Rain (precipitation)
- Sunshine
- Temperature
Biodiversity
The number of different plant and animal species in an area
Interdependent
What happens in one place increasingly has an impact on other places
Stratified layers
The way in which the rainforest is layered as plants try to take advantage of what space and light there is
Buttress roots
Large roots on all sides of a shallowly rooted tree
Adaptation
How plants and animals have evolved over time to fit into their unique environment
Drip tips
Thick waxy leaves which can shed water quickly to prevent leaves rotting
Shrub layer
- 0-10 metres
- dark, steamy, dead and decaying matter
- infertile soil, orchids, alligators, snakes, insects
Under canopy
- 10-20 metres
- made up of young trees
- insects, sloths, howler monkeys
Canopy
- 20-30 metres
- acts as an umbrella
- tall and straight trees
- monkeys and birds
Emergent layer
- 30-40 metres (the very top)
- tall deciduous trees with buttress roots
Nutrient cycle diagram
1) Biomass
2) (Death)
3) Litter
4 (Decay)
5) Soil
6) (Growth)
Deforestation
The permanent cutting down and removal of trees for human activity
How much of Malaysia’s land is covered by rainforest?
67% of land is covered by rainforest
Between 2000 and 2013 Malaysia’s forest loss was an area larger than Denmark.
Where is Malaysia?
Malaysia is located in South East Asia; borders are Indonesia and Thailand.
It is on the South China sea.
The capital is Kuala Lumpar
Causes of deforestation
- Palm oil
- Cattle ranching
- Urbanisation
- Logging/timber
- Hydroelectric power damns
Leaching
The washing away of nutrients/minerals from the soil
Goods
Things directly obtained from the rainforest (e.g. berries, fruits and nuts)
Services
Benefits that the rainforest can offer for both people and the environment e.g. green lungs, purification of the atmosphere
Selective logging
Involves only felling trees when they are fully grown and letting the younger trees mature. This protects the ground from soil erosion. It involves a cycle lasting between 30 and 40 years.
Ecotourism
Aims to introduce tourists to the natural world without causing environmental damage
Causes of deforestation
Something that is making deforestation happen.
* selective logging, mineral extraction
Impact of deforestation
Something that is happening as a result/consequence of deforestation
* biodiversity reduced, more carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere
Where is the tropical rainforest in Malaysia located?
2/3 of Malaysia is covered by them. The Perak Region (15% loss from 1988-2017). The Kedah Region (5% from 1988-2017)
Economic benefits to deforestation in Malaysia
- leads to more jobs directly and indirectly
- companies pay tax to government
- HEP, cheap and plentiful energy
Economic costs to deforestation in Malaysia
- Pollution of water
- Fires out of control (destroys vast areas)
- Important plants could become extinct
What does sustainability mean?
Developing today without hindering the 3 legs of the sustainability stool in the future (environmental, social, economic)
Why do tropical rainforests need to be managed sustainably?
To ensure that they remain a lasting resource for future generations, to allow for valuable resources to be used without causing long term damage to the environment
How have animals evolved to live in hot deserts?
They have burrowed into the ground in the day and come out at night
Characteristics of hot deserts
- receive less than 250mm of rainfall a year
- day to night temperature fluctuates from 50’C to 0’ due to lack of cloud cover
- rigidity (lack of moisture/water) is the main factor controlling life in the desert
Where is the Thar desert located
It is located in Asia on the border of North West India and South East Pakistan. It is West of the closest city of Jaipur in the India state of Rajasthan.
What is special/different about the Thar desert?
- It is the most populated desert in the world
- It has a very diverse culture with Muslim, Hindus and Sikhs all together
How is coal energy being used in the Thar desert?
Extensive lignite coal deposits in parts. A thermal energy plant has been constructed at Giral.
How is oil being used in the Thar desert?
A large oil field has been constructed in the Barmer district which could transform the local economy.
How is wind being used in the Thar desert?
The Jaisalmer wind park was constructed in 2001. It is lndia’s largest wind farm.
How is solar energy being used in the Thar desert?
At Bhaeri, solar power is used in water treatment. Sunny cloudless skies are ideal conditions for it.
Opportunities in the Thar desert - Tourism
- Desert safaris in Jaisalmer are very popular
- An annual desert festival held each winter is also popular
Opportunities in the Thar desert - Mineral extraction
- Gypsum (used in making plaster and cement)
- Feldspar (used for making ceramics)
- Phospherite (used for making fertiliser)
- Kaolin (used as a whitener in paper)
Why is commercial farming possible in the Thar desert now?
It has been made possible by irrigation. The construction of the Indira Ghandi canal in 1958 has revolutionised the farming of crops.
What are some of the challenges in the Thar desert?
Inaccessibility, water shortages and extreme temperatures
Desertification
The process of land turning into desert as the soil becomes dryer and degraded (taking in minerals) over time.
Where is the Sahel reason?
(the desert fringe) it is an area of semi-desert south of the Sahara desert and north of the savannas and jungles.
It stretches through 11 different countries form the Atlantic ocean to the Red Sea.
What is a drought and why is it a problem?
Droughts are long periods without rain which means that land dries up so surface of the soil easily blows away.
This is a problem because the soil loses nutrients so you can’t grow anything and dust storms kill any crops.
Why don’t we know how many people live in the Sahel?
Most people migrate regularly due to the droughts, armed conflicts and terrorism that affect some regions. It is thought that some 75 million currently live there.
What is the Great Green Wall?
A project launched by all the Governments of the countries in the Sahel to plant a 15km wide, 8000km line of trees to combat desertification in the Sahel, and provide a future for its people.
Why has there been increased rainfall where trees have been planted?
Trees have increased the amount of local water that is in circulation as the roots absorb water and it is then brought into the atmosphere.
How will the Great Green Wall benefit local people?
It has increased rainfall as well as more fertile soil for growing crops providing food security, jobs and a reason to stay.
How will the Great Green Wall affect climate change?
The trees will absorb CO2 which will help the fight against rising global temperatures
What does the Great Green Wall aim to do?
To restore a 100 million hectares of land, to remove 250 million tonnes of carbon and create 10 million jobs.
What are the causes of desertification in the Sahel region?
- Population growth
- Overgrazing
- Climate change
- Overcultivating
- Soil erosion
