The Living World Flashcards
What is an ecosystem?
a unit that includes all the biotic parts and abiotic parts in an area
What can an organism be classed as?
producer, consumer, decomposer
What is a producer?
an organism that uses sunlight and energy to produce food
What is a consumer?
an organism that gets it energy by eating other organisms - eating producers or other consumers
What is a food chain?
shows what eats what
What is a food web?
shows lots of food chains and how they overlap
What is a decomposer?
an organism that gets its energy by breaking down dead material ( bacteria, fungi)
What is the nutrient cycle?
when dead material is decomposed, nutrients are released into the soil. nutrients are then taken up by plants, plants eaten by consumers, plants or consumers die and nutrients return to soil
Describe what could happen in a habitat if there Is a hot dry summer?
- reduced plant growth
- fewer berried for birds in winter
- number of sparrows and thrushes fall
- fewer birds for sparrowhawks to hunt, number of sparrowhawks falls
Explain the climate in a tropical rainforest?
- same all year, no seasons
- 20-28 degrees
- high rainfall - 2000mm per year
What are the layers in the rainforest?
ground level shrub layer under canopy (main) canopy emergents
Why have pants adapted in cold areas?
- to survive the extreme cold and strong winds
- dry winter conditions when all moisture is frozen
- wet summer conditions when top layer of soil thaws
What are some plant adaptations to cold environments?
- plants become dormant to survive winter
- small and round to protect from wind
- shallow roots due to layer of permafrost
- small leaves to limit moisture loss through transpiration
- short growing season due to short summer - 50-60 days
- use underground runners or bulbs instead of seeds to reproduce as growing season is very short
What are some animal adaptations In cold environments?
- well insulated, thick fur or layers of blubber- reduces energy loss
- some hibernate to reserve energy and survive the winter
- non hibernating animals need little food and lacking in winter
- many birds may migrate to warmer areas for winter
- white coats to camouflage in snow
What are the 4 opportunities for development in Svalbard?
mineral extraction
fishing
tourism
energy development
How is mineral extraction and opportunity for development?
- rich coal reserves
- main economic activity
- more then 300 people employed in mines + support staff
How is tourism an opportunity for development?
- 70000 tourists in one year, 30000 from cruise ships
- enlarged harbour is Longyearbyren for cruiseships
- 300 jobs in tourism
- visit for animals, northern lights, adventure, hiking, canoeing, safaris
How is fishing an opportunity for development?
- one of richest fishing in world
- 150 species of fish
How is energy development an opportunity for development?
- coal burned in ONE coal fired power station
- most suitable source is geothermal energy, but Svalbard on plate boundary with thin and hot rock
- could use carbon capture in future
Five reasons why cold enviroments should be protected?
- indigenous people live traditional life here
- unpolluted and unspoiled so good for outdoor laboratouries for scientific research, climate change
- beauty and potential for adventure activities attracts tourists
- provide opportunities for forestry and fishing
- home to many birds and animals and plants
What are the three ways to protect cold environments?
- action by governments
- international agreements
- conservation groups
Explain action by governments?
- USA protects alaska through:
- national enviromental policy act - companies extracting protect enviroment
- Western arctic reserve, 9 million hectare protected wilderness managed by department of interior
- National oceanic and atmospheric administration - protects fish and marine habitats
Explain how international agreements protect cold environments?
- arctic treaty was signed by those who own antartica
- recognises importance of continent for scientific research
- controls tourism and keeps low distrubance
Explain how concervation groups protect cold environments?
WWF:
- works with local communities to manage critical ecosystems
- supports scientific research to help protect important species
- works with oil companies, locals and government to plan for sustainable future
