The Living World

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

A community of plants and animals living together in a habitat. The lives of animals and plants are closely related to each other and the climate and soil of the area that they live in. They exist on a range of sizes (pond to lake or woodland). Largest are called biomes and exist on a global scale.

Question 2

What is a producer?

Answer 2

An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis.

Question 3

What is a consumer

Answer 3

A creature that eats herbivores and plant matter

Question 4

What is a decomposer?

Answer 4

An organism such as a bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue, which is then recycled to the environment.

Question 5

What is a food chain?

Answer 5

The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely upon one another as their source of food.

Question 6

What is a food web?

Answer 6

A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food.

Question 7

What is a nutrient cycle?

Answer 7

A set of processes whereby organisms extract minerals necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain − and ultimately back to the soil and water.

Question 8

What biome are Large parts of North America and Europe covered in?

Answer 8

Temperate forest

Question 9

What biome is Northern Africa dominated by

Answer 9

Desert

Question 10

Where are tropical rainforest usually found?

Answer 10

On the equator and between the two tropics ( largest is found in Brazil )

Question 11

The distribution of biomes is due to :

Answer 11

Climate
Altitude
Ocean currents
Wind direction
Proximity to the sea

Question 12

Where are Temperate Forests / Deciduous and coniferous forests found?

Answer 12

Located 50-60 degrees north of the equator (where we are)!
UK: Deciduous trees shed their leaves in winter to keep moisture – more leaves = more transpiration.
Canada: Coniferous trees are evergreens – they keep their leaves to maximise photosynthesis during the brief summer months.

Question 13

Why is it colder near to poles?

Answer 13

The low angle of the sun means energy is more dispersed (less concentrated) on the earth’s surface (1).
The sun’s energy is scattered and reflected by the atmosphere (1).
Ice, water and snow are good reflectors of solar radiation (1).
Because of the tilt of the earth, polar regions receive no sunlight for up to 6 months of the year (1)

Question 14

What is abiotic factors and two examples?

Answer 14

An abiotic factor is a non-living part of an ecosystem that influences its environment
Example: temperature, amount of water available

Question 15

What is a biotic factor and two examples?

Answer 15

A biotic factor is a living organism that shapes its environment.
Examples: animals and plants

Question 16

Where does energy for an ecosystem come from

Answer 16

The sun

Question 17

The air above the pond

Answer 17

Birds and insects
Food found from the surface of the water and in the water and in the pond margins

Question 18

The pond surface

Answer 18

Animals breath through lungs gills and their skin
Lots of sunlight and light available

Question 19

The pond margin

Answer 19

Shelter for insects and plants
Lots to eat and lots of sunlight and air

Question 20

Mid pond water

Answer 20

Fish are the main predators.
Food found within the water column and surface and bottom

Question 21

Pond bottom

Answer 21

Lots of shelter in mud and gravels , food sinks to the bottom for scavengers and decomposers
Less light and oxygen

Question 22

Deep water, shallow water, pond margin

Answer 22

Over 30cm deep, 10-30 cm deep, 0-10 cm deep

Question 23

Example of a food chain

Answer 23

Producer: detritus (decaying leaves)
Consumers: midge larva , great diving beetle, fish, heron

Question 24

Where are they found Tropical rainforests (4 mark question)

Answer 24

Tropical rainforests can be found within the latitudes of the tropic of cancer and the tropic of Capricorn, around the equator.

They are located in the continents of Central/ South America, Africa, south east Asia and Oceania.

Countries that have tropical rainforests include Brazil, the Congo and Papua New Guinea.

Some examples of tropical rainforests are the Amazon and Borneo.

There are no tropical rainforests found in Europe or Antarctica.

Question 25

Top layer of the rainforest

Answer 25

Emergents / top canopy 30-60 meters

Question 26

Top layer of the rainforest

Answer 26

Emergents / top canopy 30-60 meters

Question 27

Second top layer of rainforest

Answer 27

15-30 metres canopy

Question 28

3rd layer of the rainforest

Answer 28

Under or lower tree canopy 5-15 metres

Question 29

4th layer of the rainforest

Answer 29

Shrub layer and ground layer ( less than 5m

Question 30

Last layer of the rainforest

Answer 30

Soils High Iron content, thick leaf litter layer

Question 31

What is a Epiphytes –

Answer 31

parasitic plants that take root in trees high in the canopy

Question 32

What are Drip tip leaves

Answer 32

allow excess water to spill off, prevents leaf damage

Question 33

What is Liana

Answer 33

– a woody plant that takes root in soil but that is supported by trees so it can grow upwards to get sunlight

Question 34

BUTTRESS roots.

Answer 34

These stabilise the tree, increase surface area for Oxygen/CO2 exchange and help transport water

Question 35

Soil in tropical rainforest

Answer 35

Red colour due to high iron and aluminium content and infertile.
Thick layer of leaf litter and decomposing organic matter on the surface.

Question 36

Rainforest Nutrient Cycle:

Answer 36

The rainforests nutrients cycle is quick.
Hot, damp conditions on the ground allow the dead plant material (e.g. leaves) to rapidly decompose.
This provides rich nutrients which are absorbed by the plants shallow roots, however these are in high demand they don’t stay in the soil for long and stay close to the surface.
If the vegetation is removed, heavy rainfall can quickly dissolve and carry away nutrients from the soil (leaching) creating latosol (infertile, iron rich, and very acidic red-coloured soil). The rain can also erode the soil away.

Question 37

Impacts of deforestation : global

Answer 37

Global warming
Loss of biodiversity

Question 38

Impacts of deforestation:

Answer 38

Loss of biodiversity

Question 39

Impactos on deforestation local

Answer 39

Conflicts
Soil erosion
River pollution
Local climate change
Loss of tribes