Theme 3 Chapter 1 - Ecosystems Flashcards
What is nutrient flows?
The movement of minerals from one store to another
What is biodiversity?
The variety of living things in an area
What is a nutrient store?
Part if an ecosystem where nutrients are kept
What is an ecosystem?
A community of plants and animals which interact with their non living and living components
What is a biome?
A very large ecosystem (eg rainforest or desert)
What are the 6 climates on Earth?
Tundra Taiga Grassland/Savannah/Semi-arid Desert Tropical rainforest Temperate
Why is there rainforest (warm and wet climate) near savannahs (warm and dry climate)?
Hadley cell
- Warm is constantly rising at equator resulting in low pressure systems at equator (cloudy, rainy, windy)
- When the warm air rises into the atmosphere it splits and after it cools down to cold air due to altitude
- The cold air falls as it become heavy resulting in high pressure systems at savannah (no wind, no rain, no clouds)
What is climate like in Savannah?
It has two main seasons: A dry and rainy season
-Rain is unreliable during rainy seasons
What is the soil like in Savannah?
-Has mineral deficient red soil
What is vegetation like in Savannahs?
1) Acacia trees:
- shed leaves in dry season to conserve water in dry season
2) Baobab tree:
- thick bark and water stored to protect against fires
- fewer leaves, prevent water loss from transpiration
3) Grass:
- in wet season grass grows quickly to height of 3m to 4m
- Dry season grass turns yellow and withers
What are the animals and humans like in savannah?
Animals:
- Large herds of wildebeest, zebras and other wild herbivores
- Herds of domestic animals (like cattle and goats)
Humans:
- As population has increased, traditional land used for grazing has been used for crops of leading to overgrazing in restricted area
- Trees and shrub cut for firewood, space for homes or crops
What is climate like in Tropical rainforests?
Constantly high temperature and heavy rainfall
What is soil like in Tropical rainforests?
- low nutrient concentrated soil due to high competition over nutrients by the vast arrays of vegetation - Nutrients absorbed rapidly
- Humid, wet high rate of decomposition, nutrients returned to soils rapidly
What is vegetation like in Tropical rainforests?
- Tree trunks straight and branchless in lower parts to use as much energy to grow taller
- Trees can grow over 4 metres in efforts to surpass canopy level
- Leaves have drip tips to shed heavy rainfall
What is animals and humans like in Tropical rainforests?
Animals:
-High biodiversity
Humans:
-Vast amount of rainforest destroyed due to deforestation, habitats destroyed and animals unable to adapt
4 Abiotic factors in ecosystems?
Water
Sunlight
Soil
Gases
Biotic factors in ecosystems?
Plants
Animals
How do humans interact with:
- Vegetation
- Animals
Vegetation:
-Many people chop down trees for firewood, construction or commercial use
-Many people consume fruits, nuts and plants
Animals:
-Humans hunting animals for food apart of ecosystem
How do Animals interact with:
-Vegetation
Vegetation:
- Producers start of every food chain
- Herbivores and omnivores consume it
How does soil interact with:
-Animals
Animal:
Decaying animals return nutrients to the soil
How does gases interact with
- Humans
- Vegetation
Humans:
-Activities of people living outside of ecosystems (like burning fossil fuels) increases CO2 emissions in the atmosphere
Vegetation:
-Photosynthesis creates oxygen and absorbs Carbon dioxide
What is the nutrient cycle?
1) Dead matter (like leaves and animals) fall to the ground
2) The sun’s heat helps to decompose the dead matter returning the nutrients to the soil
3) Roots absorb the nutrients in the soil
4) Plants uses nutrients to grow
5) Eventually an animal will consume the plant which will eventually die or leaves will shed - the cycle restarts
The nutrients cycle in Savannahs?
1) Low amounts of dead matter falls to the ground
2) Although it is hot, savannahs are dry so rate of decomposition is low
3) Soils are therefore not rich in nutrients
4) Not a lot of vegetation grows quickly in savannah - the cycle restarts
The nutrients cycle in Rainforest?
1) Lots of dead matter drops from trees in rainforest
2) Rate of decomposition faster due to hot and rain conditions. Nutrients are returned to soil rapidly
3) Plant roots absorb nutrients quickly from the low nutrient soils due to high competition between vegetation of nutrients
4) Due to fast nutrient flow in rainforests and high photosynthesis rate (due to warm and dry conditions), lots of vegetation grows rapidly - Cycle restarts
What are food chains?
Shows what organism eats what
What are food webs?
Shows all the food chains and their interactions within an ecosystem
How do humans affect food chains?
1) Destroying habitats
2) Introducing herbicides and pesticides
3) Over hunting
4) Climate change
Where is the Attenborough nature reserve?
In nottinghamshire, 6 miles south west of nottingham city
What was the original land use of the nature reserve?
A gravel extraction site and is still owned by the company CEMEX
What is a stakeholder?
An individual, group or organisation who is impacted by a project
Positive and negative opinions of the stakeholder:
- Wildlife trust member
- Teacher
- Local residents
- Jogger
Wildlife trust member:
POSITIVE: Protects breeding of rare species
NEGATIVE: Nature centre ruins ‘natural’ feel
Teacher:
POSITIVE: Provides activities and education for students
NEGATIVE: Visitor path and centre can be busy
Local residents:
POSITIVE: Stores flood waters
Raises house prices
NEGATIVE: Visitors disturb peace of village (eg parking on village roads)
Jogger:
POSITIVE: Pleasant scenery
NEGATIVE: Car park charges
Management strategies:
1) Artificial nesting banks
2) Café, shops and study room
3) Educational programmes
4) Birdwatching hides
