The Living World/ Ecosystems Flashcards
what is an ecosystem?
-unit that includes
biotic (living)
abiotic (non-living)
how can the organisms in an ecosystem be classifies?
-producers, consumers, decomposers
what is a producer?
-sun light energy to produce food
what is a consumer?
-energy from eating other organisms
what is a decomposer?
- energy from breaking down dead material
- bacteria and fungi
what is a food chain?
shows what eats what
what isa food web?
shows food chains and how they overlap
what is nutrients recycling?
- dead material decomposes
- into soil
- nutrients into plants
- plants eaten by consumers
- restarts
what is an example of a small scale ecosystem? what are the producers and consumers?
- hedge
- producers= hawthorn, blackberry
- consumers= ladybirds, greenfly
where are tundra ecosystems found and what are the re characteristics?
- high altitudes
- northern Canada, Alaska
- few trees
- mosses, grasses
- permafrost
where are grassland ecosystems found and what are there characteristics?
- south Africa
- low rainfall
- dry and wet seasons
where are deciduous forests ecosystems found and what are there characteristics?
- UK
- 4 distinct seasons
- mild winters
- trees loose leaves in winter
where are tropical rainforests found and what are there characteristics?
- equator
- hot and weal year
- dense canopies
where are hot deserts found and what are there characteristics?
- North Africa, Australia
- little rainfall
- cold at night
- cacti
where are polar environments found and what are there characteristics?
- north and south poles
- not much grows
- 2 month growing season
what are the physical characteristics of a tropical rainforest?
- same climate all year
- 20-28 degrees
- invertible soil
- lots of animal variety
- dense plants
give 2 examples on how parts of the rainforest are dependant on one another
- climate means dead plants decompose quickly keeping fertile soil
- plants pass on nutrients to animals eating it, dense plants, so can keep large animal populations
how have plants adapted to physical conditions?
- tall competing for sunlight
- buttress roots to support
- thick, why leaves with drip tips so weight of water runs off
- thin, smooth back. no need for cold weather protection. water easily run off
how have animals adapted to the physical conditions?
- strong limbs so can climb and leap e.g. howler monkeys
- camouflage
- many can swim to cross river channels e.g. jaguars
what is biodiversity? how much biodiversity do tropical rainforests hold?
-variety of organisms living in one area, plants and
animals
-2/3 of worlds plants species found in rainforest
what are the issues with a decrease in biodiversity?
- endangered species
- extinct species
- decline in ecosystem productivity
- number of endangered species increases by 418 between 1989 and 2008
how are the rates of deforestation changing? stats
- first decade of 21st century Asia, Africa and South America all increased deforestation
- however half of brazil’s rainforests now protected
- 20% of amazon deforested, 1970
- roughly 300 000km2 from 2000-2010
what are the six main reasons for deforestation in a rainforest?
- population pressure
- mineral extraction e.g. gold
- energy development e.g. dams
- commercial logging
- commercial farming e.g. cattle grazing
- subsistence farming e.g. food for family
what are the environmental impacts of deforestation?
- rain clues soil erosion, flooding, land slides
- more water to ground less fertile soil
- more CO2 staying and going into air
what are the economical impacts of deforestation?
- create jobs
- money made
- destroy resources countries rely on for money
how much deforestation has occurred in the amazon since 1978?
750 000km2
what are the environmental impacts on the AMAZON due to deforestation?
- 100 billions tons of carbon stored slowly being released, global waarming
- 55 million tons of topsoil being lost in Brazil, due to soil erosion
what are the economic impacts on the AMAZON due to deforestation?
-economic development has brought wealth to poor countries
-2008,Brazil made 6.9billion from trading cattle
jobs for loads of people
why is it important to protect tropical rainforests for people?
- more plants extinct so, less chance of discovering new medicines
- climate change effects all counties
why is it important to protect tropical rainforests for the environment?
- biodiversity
- reduce greenhouse effect
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through selective logging?
- only older trees cut down
- take from different areas
- removing out of forest with horses. NO trucks
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through replanting?
- new trees replacing
- trees for future
- same tree type replanted
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through ecotourism?
- minimise environment damage
- small amount of visitors
- local people wrk with tourism so don’t have to log for money
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through international agreements?
- reduce illegal logging
- high demand of hardwood in rich countries
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through education?
- teach impacts
- teach local people
- teach local people other ways to make money
how can TR’s be sustainably managed through reducing debt?
- reduce debt for that country so less logging to make money
- debt payed off for agreement money spent on conservation
what is the climate like in cold environments?
- polar never over 0
- polar winters -40- -90
- tundra max 10
- low rainfall 100mm polar + 380mm tundra
- clear seasons
what is the soil like in cold environments?
- polar covered in ice
- tundra- thin acidic not fertile
- permafrost (permentant frost)
what are the plants like in cold environments?
- polar few plants, mosses fount of rocks
- short trees
- small grasses
what are the animals like in cold environments?
- small variety
- polar- penguins,polar bears, whales
- tundra- wolves, reindeer
what are the people like in cold environments?
- polar almost uninhabited, scientist for short periods
- tundra- many people, gas workers, oil workers
how have plants adapted to cold environments?
- small for wind protection
- small leaves to limit moisture lost
- shallow roots due to permafrost
how have animals adapted to cold environments?
- thick fur coats- polar bears
- hibernate to save energy for winter
- migrate
what are the issues related to low biodiversity in a cold environment?
- changes in one species can kill off another
- polar areas warming up. species cannot adapt
what are the 4 main development opportunities in Alaska?
- oil and gas
- mineral extraction
- fishing
- toursim
how is oil and gas a development opportunity in Alaska?
- half of income
- links to shipping places - trans Alaska oil pipeline
how is mineral extraction a development opportunity in Alaska?
- gold, silver, iron, ore, copper
- Tintina gold belt
- 2.2 billion dollars GPD 2013
how is fishing a development opportunity in Alaska?
- salmon, crab
- 79,000 employs
- 5billion dollers
how is tourism a development opportunity in Alaska?
- 2 million tourists
- money and jobs
what are the 3 main challenges for developing Alaska?
- extreme temperatures
- inaccessibility
- buildings and infrastructure
how is extreme weather a challenge for Alaska?
- really cold
- Prudhoe Bay annual -9
- snow, strong winds
- winter dark all the time
how is inaccessibility a challenge for Alaska?
- remote
- no roads
- small and scattered population
- long way from jobs
how is buildings and infrastructure a challenge for Alaska?
- buildings that can cope are expensive
- construction only in summer
- Trans- Alasks pipe lines raised on stilts
why are cold environments valuable wilderness areas worth conserving?
- undeveloped, wild, inhabited
- protect biodiversity
- science
- natural ecosystems
- last remaining
how are cold environments fragile?
- slow plant growth
- high specialised species, hard to adapt to change
what are the 4 main strategies needed to balance economic development with conservation?
- technology
- conservation groups
- international agreements
- role of governments
how is the use of technology balancing conservation and EDevelopmet?
- heated buildings melting permafrost
- modern building elevated
- stop warming ground
how is the use of conservation groups balancing conservation and EDevelopmet?
- pressure governments to protect
- World Wild Fund for Nature
- Greenpeace
- both encourage sustainable management
how is the use of international agreements balancing conservation and EDevelopmet?
- 1959 Antarctic Treaty, 12 nations
- limiting visitors, no nuclear activity, no military
how is the use of governments balancing conservation and EDevelopmet?
- energy mining can cause water pollution
- made laws
- 1964 Wilderness Act
- protect developing Alaska
